Dragon Approved Complete Series Boxed Set

(Books 1 - 13)

Ramy Vance

Michael Anderle

This Book is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.

Copyright © 2020 by LMBPN Publishing

Cover Art by Jake @ J Caleb Design

http://jcalebdesign.com / jcalebdesign@gmail.com

Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing

A Michael Anderle Production

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First US Edition, July 2020

eBook ISBN: 978-1-64971-073-4

Contents

The First Human Rider

Ascent to the Nest

Defense of the Nest

Nest Under Seige

First Mission

The Descent

Sacrifices

Love And Aliens

An Alien Affair

Dragons in Space

The Beginning of the End

Death of the Mind

Boundless

The First Human Rider

Dragon Approved™ Book One

Chapter One

The old wizard stood over a boiling cauldron. Myrddin felt older now than he had in some time, although he wasn’t sure if he looked it. In the reflection, he could see his hair hadn’t grayed more and his skin hadn’t wrinkled further.

The side-effects of being immortal, he mused.

The cauldron was roughly half his height, made of pewter, and its feet were clawed like dragon’s feet. They were real dragon’s feet, in fact, and they served as an anchor for the large bowl.

And that was exactly what Myrddin needed right now: an anchor.

He leaned over the cauldron and heaved a heavy breath as if he were trying to empty his entire body of the air inside, exhaling all of his fear and worry. He gripped the sides of the cauldron, the heat not affecting his magic-enhanced hands, and peered into its depths.

The water of the cauldron was dark and murky. Shapes moved but had no definition. Faces formed slowly out of the shadows and things began to move in the darkness—thousands upon thousands of creatures.

At first only orcs. Then goblins. Then trolls and drow and all manner of dark creatures. They were marching to meet another force—that of elves, dwarves, and halflings.

Then finally, humans.

As the forces of light banded together, Myrddin saw they were armed and marching toward a bright red light in the distance. He could even hear the screams. Everywhere.

He felt the heat from the red light and knew what he was watching: the armies of the Dark One.

Something behind Myrddin moved. The wizard turned and whipped his wand out, pointing it at the shadows behind the door. When he looked out of the window to his left, he saw shadows that could not have been there naturally with the sun’s current position.

A voice came from the darkness, and someone wearing a large black cloak that covered their face leaned forward. The shadows clung to his features as he walked into the light.

“What do you see?” the figure asked, this time loud enough that Myrddin registered that he was being talked to.

Myrddin pointed at the cauldron with his wand. “Nothing we haven’t seen for an eon. In other words, nothing new.”

“Then why are you still looking? Show me. Show me what you see.”

Myrddin waved his wand above the cauldron and the water changed color once more. A red streak flashed across the water’s surface: a meteor. The piece of space rock flew toward the earth. It was obvious what would happen upon impact.

The hooded figure sighed as he pulled away. “This is sooner than I assumed it would be. We need to assemble the Riders.”

Myrddin was still staring at the cauldron. “They aren’t ready yet,” he whispered. “She is not ready yet.”

“She?”

Myrddin nodded. “The one we’ve been waiting for. She is female. A youth. And a human.”

The figure hissed. “A girl, and a human? We haven’t had a female Rider for centuries. And we’ve never had a human Rider.”

Myrddin touched the cauldron’s surface. The liquid bubbled under the old wizard’s fingertips, and wisps of smoke in the shape of dragons lifted from the surface. “And now you know why I’m hesitant.”

“I do,” the figure said as he placed his hand over the cauldron’s surface. Immediately the liquid calmed and the wisps of smoke formed an image of a girl. “Then get her ready.”

“There is one more added complication.”

“What is it now?”

“The girl—the human—she’s blind.”

The figure waved a bony hand. “Hardly important. Do what you have to. Get her to Middang3ard.”

The cloaked form walked to the wall and disappeared. Myrddin turned from his cauldron and shook his head as he sat down. Things were moving faster than he’d anticipated. Hopefully their gamble on the Dragonrider program would pay off.

Chapter Two

Alex pulled up the coordinates Jim had sent her and locked them into her HUD’s navigation. It wasn’t quite autopilot, but it was close enough. The battle wasn’t too far away—a ten-minute ride if Alex decided to take her time.

But it seemed like whatever was happening was important enough for Alex to focus on getting there as soon as possible.

She pulled back on the imaginary reins of the dragon and sped up. It still helped her to imagine there were actual reins so she didn’t get caught in the disorientation of moving in unison with her dragon.

As she descended from the clouds, the air got thicker and breathing came more easily. From this distance, she could see the skirmish with three other Dragonriders and could tell they were her party members.

One of the perks of being a Dragonrider was that the HUDs automatically upgraded the eyesight of their Riders, not that Alex would have noticed. She did, however, think it was funny that she’d spent her entire life not being able to see, and here in the game, she had better vision than most of the players of Middang3ard.

It looked like Jim was the only one of Alex’s party who’d shown up for the fight. That was obviously the reason he’d messaged her with such urgency. She was surprised he decided to show up for a fight without the rest of the party.

Alex patched her HUD to Jim’s so they could talk. “Hey, Jaws. What are you doing here all by yourself?” she asked. “Didn’t feel like waiting for anyone else?”

Jim’s voice crackled through the HUD as Alex sped toward him. “Not much of a choice,” he replied. “No one else was able to make it today. Not like it matters, though. There’s a couple of people from other parties coming on the raid. We’ll have more folks backing us up than usual.”

As Alex got closer, she could see Jim was totally outnumbered by the swarm of harpies who surrounded him. Initially, she’d thought the mass of wings was a bunch of dragons flying together. Jim was weaving in and out of the swarm, trying to take down as many as he could.

Fun wasn’t the word for what Alex was ready for. She dove headfirst into the swarm of harpies. As she pulled back, her dragon roared and spread its wings to catch the warm thermals that allowed it to lift into the air as it shot ether fire from its mouth.

The dragon’s fire scorched the closest harpies, and their screams filled the air as they scrambled, grasping at whatever they could rip into.

Alex had fought harpies in the sky before; they weren’t difficult enemies. They liked to group around one target. Facing them by yourself could prove to be difficult, but if you had backup, it was a cakewalk.

Jim had been doing well so far. He probably could have cleaned them up without issue, but with Alex’s help, this would be over before it even began. Might as well take the chance for some practice, Alex thought to herself.

A harpy with a little bit more intelligence than the rest came for Alex, while most of the others tried to attack her dragon.

Alex didn’t even issue commands. She knew her dragon would snatch up any harpies close by and tear them to bits by instinct. The only thing Alex had to focus on was the harpies that knew enough to go for the Rider.

As one swooped down, Alex felt a surge of excitement. She’d seen some of the veteran Dragonriders try something like this, and she’d always wanted to give it a shot. This was a simple enough encounter that she could.

She imagined herself letting go of her reins to allow the dragon more freedom of movement. Then, as the harpy descended, she pulled out her bō staff, an elegantly-crafted piece she picked up from the corpse of a dead monk. It was the first weapon she’d found, and her favorite.

Veteran players had mocked her for holding onto her first weapon, but over the last few months, they’d been silenced by her proficiency.

Alex vaulted off her dragon into the air and felt the weightlessness that had originally terrified her. Her dragon darted forward and attacked the nearest harpies.

Alex sailed through the air with her bō tucked behind her back. She snapped a harpy’s neck with a single flick of her wrist, swung herself onto its back, and rode the falling body into the next harpy.

She jumped from the dead harpy to another and wrangled her bō around its neck to steer it to the next. She let her grip relax briefly to bash the head in before settling back on the harpy she rode.

She guided it back and leaped off, casually hitting it between its eyes as she landed on the back of her dragon. With a yank of the reins, she commanded the dragon to shoot another blast of ether flame.

Jim was faring well as he swooped through the swarm and fired blasts of fire where he aimed his bow. He picked off any harpies who were foolish enough to try to get close to him. Alex absentmindedly admired his work; the boy was an excellent shot.

As Jim lined up his shot, he also activated his dragon’s missile launcher and fired a volley of heat-seeking missiles to compliment his rapid shots. Each of his arrows hit its mark.

Within a couple of minutes, Alex and Jim had taken out the harpies. The skies were silent when Jim guided his dragon to Alex. “Nice little fight, right?” he asked.

Alex sat on her ether dragon and yawned theatrically. “I mean, if you call that a fight,” she replied.

“I saw that little move you pulled. It was amazing.”

“Just trying to keep up with you, Jaws.”

He laughed as he brushed his hair out of his face. Alex could see he was blushing. She’d read about people blushing for years. It never ceased to amaze her how red Jim’s face could get. “So, what are we up to today?” she asked.

Jim pointed east and cleared his throat. “There’s a big raid happening today,” he explained. “The rest of the party is meeting us near Mt. Caton. I went ahead to clear the way and introduce us to the other Riders. It’s the expansion raid.”

Alex felt a twinge of irritation but tried to keep her face from betraying her emotions. “I don’t need you to plan my quests for me,” she finally replied.

“Wasn’t trying to. I wanted to see what the expansion has in store for us, and I didn’t want to wait around for you to figure out if you want to do it.”

The irritation Alex felt was quickly replaced by embarrassment. She hoped she wasn’t blushing. “Oh, all right. Makes sense, I guess. Well, how about we go meet those other Riders and get this thing going?”

He smiled, and Alex felt her heart skip. “Sounds good. Let’s find out what all the fuss is about.”

Jim turned east and sped off. Alex chased him until she overtook him, then she took the lead.

Chapter Three

Alex and the Dragonriders arrived at the area the coordinates indicated. It was a massive mountain, and its peak was covered in clouds. It was larger than anything Alex could have imagined.

She’d heard of Mt. Everest and had been given descriptions of different objects she could feel and touch to give her context, but she could never have dreamed of anything this large.

This was the same mountain she always saw in Middang3ard. It was visible almost anywhere on the map, and it looked like an unattainable dream. It was easily more than a month’s journey by horseback.

Whatever this mission entailed, Myrddin had obviously had a plan if he’d placed the mountain too far for the average player to consider reaching.

Jim was riding beside Alex when he pointed to the mountain and asked, “You see the cave ahead?”

Alex squinted to follow the imaginary line of Jim’s finger. She could see the cave, and there was someone standing in it. “That must be Shiva. We need to get into the cave.”

Alex didn’t waste time waiting for the other Riders to catch on to what she was doing, but Jim and the rest of her party were ready for that. Alex was always the first to dive into battle.

It wasn’t as if she were Leroy Jenkins-ing the situation. She wouldn’t have gotten the reference anyways; she was just fast. Faster than anyone else. No one ever had to pull her out of trouble. They just had to catch up to her.

As Alex raced toward the mountain cave, she could see Shiva better. The four-armed god wore a belt of human skulls and held a human head in one of his hands. Two of the other hands held scimitars, and the last one a rose.

The blue-skinned god smiled as he held the rose toward Alex. What the hell did I learn about Shiva? Alex thought, trying to remember the comparative religion class she’d audited at her local community college.

I wonder if Myrddin based this on any of the stories about Shiva, or if he’s using them as a template or something. What should I do, attack?

Alex slowed to a glide. Before she had time to figure out how best to handle the situation, another Dragonrider zoomed past her. “For the realm!” he screamed as his dragon’s shoulder-blade blaster fired.

Alex shook her head. She could already tell this was a bad idea. A better idea would be to get out of what was going to quickly become Shiva’s warpath. Still, Alex was mildly interested to see what kind of fighter Shiva was, and what kind of god Myrddin had programmed.

Shiva raised his hands. A few laser blasts hit his palms, but most were deflected before they got anywhere near him.

Shiva smiled sweetly as he shook his head at the Rider. “Foolish human,” Shiva said, speaking softly. “Do you think I fear the monstrosity of flesh and technology you’ve created? I was born at the time of the first dragon. I have ended countless cycles of repetition and watched the fireworms make their way to the earth again, a millennium before any Dust Child had reached for its first fruit. You will find me meditating. Farewell.”

Shiva’s rose stretched and hardened, transforming into a long silver trident. He threw the trident, and it impaled the eye of the attacking Rider’s dragon. The dragon screamed in pain and flailed.

The Rider tried to get control, but Shiva thrust one of his swords through the Rider’s chest. The Rider’s screams mixed with the dragon’s as they plummeted toward the ground.

Even though it was a game, it always shocked Alex to see a player die. Myrddin hadn’t wasted any expense when it came to death animations. Blood smelled like iron, and the pain on the faces of fellow players was always gruesome.

In a morbid way, it was one of the best parts of the game. Sure, you could respawn later if you weren’t one of the hardcore “one-lifers,” but avoiding seeing your friends in such a dismal position was a good motivator for teamwork. Immersion was where the fun was found.

Alex guided her dragon away from the mountain. She had a bad feeling about what was coming next. There was no way this quest was going to be this easy. A dozen or more Dragonriders taking on one god in a mountain cave?

Myrddin would have created something better, something that would really test the skill of the Dragonriders. Otherwise, why stage this whole thing in the air?

As Alex raced away from the cave, she looked over her shoulder and could now see where the challenge was going to be. Holes had opened all over the mountain, giving it the look of a giant honeycomb. What was even more terrifying was that the mountain seemed to be breathing. Then the bees showed up—billions and billions of them. Alex could see them emerging from the new holes.

The bees had to be huge if Alex could see them in such detail. She wasn’t looking forward to seeing them up close. The bugs of Middang3ard were easily a thousand times more disgusting than anything she’d heard described in real life.

Maybe everyone I know has just been really bad at describing bugs? Enough people seem to be grossed out by them. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were this bad.

Alex regrouped with the Dragonriders, who had finally caught up. They stared at the swarm of bees as it blocked the light of the sun.

Phillis pulled down her HUD as she received a message. “You can see it from down there,” she said. “It’s like a total eclipse for the players on the ground.”

Alex looked through her own HUD and grinned when she saw the percentage of success: -37%. “Perfect,” she whispered before flipping her HUD up and turning to the rest of the Riders. “All right, you guys ready to do some real flying?” she shouted. “Jim, you’re on me!”

One of the other Dragonriders scoffed as he folded his arms. “Who made you leader?” he asked. “Last time I checked, we were different parties. I don’t know how your party likes to do things, but the Growlers don’t take kindly to being ordered around, even if it’s coming from Boundless.”

“I’m not giving orders. You came here to fly, didn’t you? I just want to see if you actually can.”

The rest of the Riders laughed and followed Alex as she took off toward the swarm of bees.

A bee nearly a third the size of the dragon she rode came for her. It was obvious to Alex that alone, one bee wasn’t going to a problem. The problem arose from the sheer number of them.

Shiva’s cave was already obscured by the bees, and there was no way the Dragonriders could kill them all. There were billions, and it didn’t look like the mountain was done producing them.

The bee coming for Alex sped above her head as she ducked, pulled her dragon into a turn, and signaled for a stream of ether fire. The fire singed the bee’s wings, and it dropped.

That was good. The bees were weak, which meant she could fight her way through the swarm into the cavern. That was the clearest strategy she saw.

Jim was now at her side. He usually played as a tank for Alex, but both of them knew the truth: Jim was tanking for the rest of the team. Alex was generally too fast to be tanked for.

Neither Alex nor Jim felt the need to pat each other on the back for their teamwork. They both filled their roles, and things always worked out. This time, though, Jim seemed adamant about staying near her.

“Do you know where the cave opening is?” Jim shouted over the wind.

Alex pointed at the swarm that was quickly approaching. “All I know is that it’s past them.”

The rest of the Dragonriders had caught up and were whooping and yelling, trying to prime themselves for the fight that was about to happen. Alex never bothered with any of that stuff. It seemed like a lot of bravado for the sake of putting on a show.

A couple of times, Alex had mentioned it snidely to Jim and he’d agreed, but it didn’t stop him from shouting along with the rest of the Riders as they raced toward the swarm.

As the first wave of bees turned their attention to the Riders, Alex fell back to let the other Riders go ahead. She wanted to get a better idea about how the bees were going to move. Everything in Middang3ard had a pattern, especially the enemies.

It felt callous to think, but not everyone was going to make it out of this raid. That was a simple fact. She might as well learn from their mistakes so they wouldn’t become hers.

A Rider on a fire dragon made the first move. His dragon attacked the first wave of bees with its laser blasters, and the bees fell to the earth. It hardly mattered, though, because another wave was right behind and had already overrun them.

The bees were now so close that the blasters couldn’t fire. They completely covered the dragon and its Rider and were vibrating together so loudly that Alex could hear them. All at once, they raised their stingers and plunged them into the dragon.

The dragon’s scream rang out above the incessant buzzing, and soon the dragon, Rider, and bees were all plunging earthward.

The fight was on. Dragonriders were flying as close as they could to what looked like a giant black tornado. They flew back and forth, dipping in and out of the bee swarm as they unleashed a variety of elements.

The air was hot with fire and electricity as the endless number of bees attacked the Riders. Dragons were dying left and right. Not as fast as the bees but, unlike the insects, there were a finite number of Riders and dragons.

Alex and her party hung back from the battle. They had taken their cue from Alex and were hesitant to join a fight they couldn’t win. Alex concerned herself with winning and losing. She knew she was going to win. She just didn’t know how yet.

Initially, she had thought flying straight into the middle of the swarm and fighting her way through was the best idea. That strategy had gone out the window the moment she realized how many bees were swarming out of the hive-mountain.

The Rider who had first taunted Alex was doing an amazing job in battle. He was sticking to the outskirts of the swarm, where he and his party picked off bees that made the mistake of getting too close.

When the Rider looked over his shoulder at Alex, he shouted, “I thought you were going to show us how it’s done?”

Alex’s pride was pricked. At this point, it would be reckless to ride straight into battle, but it didn’t keep her from considering doing exactly that. She hoped she wasn’t blushing from embarrassment and was glad the jerk teasing her wasn’t close by.

Corwyn sighed and leaned against his dragon’s neck. “Are we just going to watch the whole fight from the sidelines? If so, I could have skipped the raid instead of wasting my time.”

“Going in without a plan doesn’t make any sense,” Alex explained. “Do you see how many Riders are getting killed?”

“Yeah, I do. At least they’re doing something. None of us are one-lifers. We could just respawn and run the raid again. You know, classic MMO style. Run it ‘til we break it.”

“I don’t think Myrddin would have designed something that simple.”

“Yeah, the whole swarm of bees coming out of a mountain is very original.”

Alex kept watching the way the bees moved. There had to be some kind of pattern—and then she saw it.

The bees all flew the same direction—each and every one of them. As they exited the mountain, they flew upward and to the right.

That was what was forming the funnel shape of the tornado. “All right, if you guys want to do something, we might as well,” she said. “We start at the top and push our way down.”

Jim looked at Alex, obviously puzzled by the idea. “Wait, so we’re just going to do what everyone else is doing?” he asked.

“Yeah, but smarter. Come on.”

Alex kicked her dragon into gear and gained height as she flew toward the tornado of bees. If these were anything like the ones in real life, they had a hive mentality. The hive was where they drew their strength, and it was also their weakness.

None of the bees were behaving as individuals, and Alex was going to take advantage of that.

She turned to Jim, who was riding beside her, and said, “I don’t need you to tank for me, all right? You need to watch out for everyone else. There are some really good Riders in there who are getting murdered. Try to keep everyone else alive.”

Jim nodded and cut his speed a little, dropping back with the rest of the party. “Trust me. I know I’m not taking care of you.” He chuckled. “Let’s go get that shiny rock.”

The party was nearly to the top of the bee funnel. They crested the ornate living structure, and Alex sent her dragon speeding into the swarm.

The bees scattered almost immediately. Alex launched her missiles and unleashed a torrent of ether fire, burning through the insects around her. Just as she predicted, the bees moved in sync, trying to figure out how to maintain their pattern when there was something disrupting it.

That didn’t mean the bees weren’t attacking, though. Alex swerved in and out of the tornado before popping out of the blackness to get a breath of fresh air and see how far they had descended through the funnel.

If this really is a tornado, it’s got to have an eye, Alex thought. She leaned closer to her dragon to be more aerodynamic and dove back into the swirling mass, still following the pattern of the bees while forcing herself into the middle.

Alex’s HUD binged. She didn’t need to check the message. It was the alert for one of your party members dying. It couldn’t have been Jim. Way too soon. Jim would have held out longer than anyone else.

Alex burst into the eye of the bee tornado. As expected, it was completely still, but what she saw in the stillness surprised her.

One bee in the middle was unlike the bees that surrounded it. This bee looked almost human. Its abdomen was extremely long and gaunt and had four wings extending from it. Its remaining two wings were attached to its thorax. A stinger hung bloated from its back end.

The queen bee held her hands up and gestured in what could have only been the pattern of the tornado.

Alex looked to see who had followed her into the eye of the bee storm. Jim popped out of the black cloud of insects and looked around as if he’d emerged from a cave and his eyes needed to adjust to the light. Phillis was right behind him. “All right,” Alex said and pointed to the queen bee, “That’s what’s controlling the other bees.”

Jim rushed toward the queen, shouting, “You don’t need to say anything else!”

Alex was right behind him, easily matching his speed. Her dragon let out a blast of ether fire as she launched her last two missiles. She was going to have to switch to her blasters after this.

The blasters were faster but didn’t pack as much of a punch as her missiles did. That shouldn’t matter too much, Alex thought. The missiles should take care of her.

The missiles connected with the queen, resulting in a massive explosion. Jim and Alex swerved to avoid the blast. The wave hit Phillis, pushing her back but not out of the tornado’s eye.

The queen bee was still flying and hardly had a scratch on her. After a moment, her thousands of eyes focused on the Riders. Then, in a blink, she was in front of Alex. The queen was fast. Her mandibles dripped saliva as she swiped them at Alex.

The Rider ducked, barely avoiding the queen’s attack. Then she launched an uppercut that caught the bee in the jaw and pushed her back a little, which was all the room Alex needed. She leaned forward, and her dragon nosedived as fast as it could.

The queen raised her hand and pointed at Phillis. A column of bees shot from the tornado and hit Phillis’ dragon, which screamed as it spiraled toward the other side of the insectoid mass.

Alex stopped on a dime and turned before firing her blasters at the column of bees attacking Phillis. “Keep them off of her!” Alex shouted as her dragon let loose another blast of ether fire.

Jim flew toward Phillis and fired at the attackers. Suddenly the queen appeared in front of Jim and slashed at him. From below, Alex fired her blasters at the queen, sending her flying away from Jim. Once she regrouped, the queen sent another column of bees after Jim, but he easily evaded the attack.

Alex looked at the tornado around her and saw that the bees were flying erratically. The integrity of the tornado was broken. “Now!” Alex shouted. “Ignore her! I don’t think we can take her. Head for the cave’s mouth!”

Alex bolted toward the cave, and Jim and Phillis followed. Flying through the insects was easier now; they hardly noticed the three Riders. The queen must still be too distracted after fighting them one on one to also control her minions.

With that thought, the queen suddenly appeared in front of Alex, who was ready for her and didn’t waste her time returning the attack. Instead, she dodged and continued pushing through the insect bodies in front of her.

The cave could be seen through the thick of the bees now. Alex imagined snapping the reins of her dragon, prompting it to increase its speed toward the cave’s entrance. There was another beep in her HUD; Phillis must have gotten hit by the queen. Alex was too close to turn around, though. She had to make it to the cave.

She burst through the last of the bees and skidded into the opening. She dismounted her dragon and ran to the back of the cave. When she turned, she saw that Jim was coming toward the cave, and he was smiling. He made it.

That happiness was short-lived. The queen bee appeared in front of Jim and slashed him across the chest before she plunged her stinger into his dragon’s head.

Jim screamed in pain as his dragon roared, and they plummeted to the ground. Alex reached out for Jim, but she was too late, and his hand slipped through her grasp.

When the queen turned to face Alex, she didn’t attack. Instead, she pointed past Alex to a passageway in the cave.

Alex didn’t need to be persuaded to get as far from those bees as possible. Away from the insects and away from the guilt. Even though she knew it wasn’t real, she always hated seeing her party members die. It didn’t help that she was often the last one left, but she pushed those feelings aside to concentrate on the mission. As long as she finished the raid, her squad would get the experience points.

The mission was what mattered. It was the entire reason they were here.

As Alex inched past her dragon, she noticed that the cavern’s entrance narrowed the farther you went. That meant Alex wasn’t going to be able to bring her dragon, and the idea put her on edge.

Whatever lay ahead was going to test things Alex wasn’t prepared for. She’d assumed the trial was going to depend on her prowess as a Rider.

I guess that part’s over. Why the hell would I have to finish a quest that isn’t about me riding? she thought.

The hope that the rumors were true flashed in Alex’s heart, as bright as the sun. What if it was more than a rumor? What if Myrddin was testing the players to see which ones had the right stuff to go to Middang3ard? If Middang3ard was even real, which she still wasn’t sure about.

Anybody could get good at a game. What if this was something else?

Alex pushed the hope and excitement down. Those thoughts wouldn’t get her anywhere. She needed to be ready for whatever came at her.

Before she left to go down the tunnel, she kissed her dragon on the snout. Even if the dragon wasn’t real, it was a small comfort. They were in this together, whether or not Alex was going to walk down the dark tunnel by herself.

Facing the darkness, she considered her bō before pulling a sword from her inventory. She figured she would need something with an edge, and the sword was magically enhanced. Then, with a sigh, she stepped into the tunnel.

The farther she walked, the tighter the space got, until she felt like she was going to be smothered by the walls. However, in the distance, there was a light. Guess this time I am supposed to go toward the light, she joked to herself.

The tunnel broadened as Alex drew closer to the illumination. She stood in front of a door that led into what appeared to be a large golden room, but really, the room was more than golden. Every inch of the room was covered in gold leaf. There was a gold table covered in candles that cast a golden light across the space. The floor was littered with various gold weapons: ornately-crafted swords and axes, and bows with peacock feather-fletched arrows.

Golden statues of Shiva, all holding swords, filled the cavern as well. The cavern walls were covered in golden portraits of gods and beings Alex had never seen before but somehow knew were divine.

In the middle of the room sat Shiva. His back was facing Alex, and the god did not bother to rise when she entered the room. “It looks as if you are the only one to survive,” he said softly.

Alex’s curiosity was piqued by Shiva’s calm. “What do you mean, the only one?” she asked.

“All the other Dragonriders failed the quest. You are the only one who remains to finish it.”

Shiva rose and turned to face Alex, holding a sword in each of his four hands. “Have the trials of the Jewel of Qa brought me a warrior?” Shiva asked.

Alex waited for the god to attack, but Shiva did not move. He merely held his swords and waited. Fine. I’ll bring the fight to him, Alex thought.

Alex rushed forward with her sword raised. She swung at Shiva, who easily deflected but didn’t return the attack. Alex jumped back and swung her sword once more. The god merely blocked Alex’s strike and then stepped forward as if the two of them were engaged in some kind of dance.

Shiva posed with his swords, looking like something that had walked out of Alex’s textbook on comparative religions.

“Is that all Middang3ard has taught you?” Shiva asked. “The ways of a warrior?”

Alex took another step back. She should have known better than to think she could fight the incarnation of life and death. She’d been expecting a hard fight, but this was pointless. What else was she missing?

Shiva still wasn’t attacking. He stood there with a bemused smile on his face. That isn’t the face of someone trying to kill me, Alex thought, so why the hell am I trying to kill him?

Alex tossed her sword on the ground, then took a deep breath and went to one knee in front of Shiva.

As Alex knelt, the golden statues of Shiva sprang to life and surrounded Alex. Their swords rose as they stared down at the girl.

Alex had to use all of her restraint not to grab her sword as Shiva started to laugh. “Did the trials also bring me a fool?” Shiva asked.

None of the statues moved after their initial aggression. Alex watched them out of the corners of her eyes. If the statues did attack, she would easily be able to evade and get back to her dragon, but the statues were just as unmoving as they had been before. Here goes nothing, Alex thought.

Alex cleared her throat as she raised her right hand, made a fist, and pressed it to her heart. “Lord Shiva, I declare my loyalty to you,” she pledged. “Since you are a guardian of Middang3ard and the protector of the Jewel of Qa, I apologize for my brashness earlier.”

Shiva smiled, and the golden guards surrounding Alex collapsed into heaps of gold dust. “You will serve me?” Shiva asked as he approached Alex, dropping his swords on the way.

“I serve Middang3ard, and since you are a guardian of the realm, I serve you as well.”

Shiva raised two of his hands and cupped the other two in front of his chest as if they were holding something. The Jewel of Qa shimmered into a palm. “As is customary for the gods of Middang3ard, allow me to present you with a gift to honor our allegiance,” Shiva stated.

Alex rose and reached for the jewel. As soon as her hand touched the cold surface, the world went black.

Chapter Four

Alex felt at home, and the thought disturbed her. She could still perceive the world around her, including the wind on her skin and the heat of the room. There was no doubt in her mind that she was still in Middang3ard, even if the world had gone black.

It was like someone had turned off the lights. Absentmindedly, she wondered if other players would have been freaking out by now.

Being in the dark was nothing new for Alex.

A voice broke Alex’s concentration. It was soft and frail—an ancient voice, one that had spoken many languages during its years.

Alex didn’t know how she knew any of this, but she felt it deep in her bones. Whoever was speaking had been alive for a very long time.

The voice said, “Please, don’t be alarmed. I wanted to speak with you in person to congratulate you on your achievement. Not many have passed this final judgment. You’re among the elite in your class.”

Alex turned, or at least she thought she did. The spatial awareness and tactile perceptions she’d had a moment earlier had vanished.

Now it felt like she was floating in a large bowl of water. It was as if gravity had been sucked out of the room. She couldn’t locate the source of the voice, no matter how hard she tried. “Who are you?” she finally asked. “Are we still in the game?”

Directly in front of Alex, the air seemed to shimmer and tear open as if reality was being ripped apart. After a moment, a silver and gold portal appeared before her. Her vision returned, and as she peered into the portal, she saw an entirely different world than the one she’d come from. It was just a slice, but she recognized enough to know it wasn’t Middang3ard. The sliver was of a room, and it reminded her of her grandfather’s study. The furniture was vaguely mid-century Victorian.

Out of the portal stepped Myrddin. He wore a well-pressed gray suit and a bowler hat. In one hand, he held the Jewel of Qa, and in the other, a cane on which he leaned as he walked toward Alex.

She instinctively backed away.

Myrddin tossed the jewel into the air and it vanished. He then extended his hand to Alex and smiled sweetly. “I am Myrddin, the CEO and creator of Middang3ard.” He waited for Alex to shake his hand.

Slowly, she became aware of having a body again. She looked down at her hand as she extended it toward Myrddin. “The Myrddin?” Alex asked.

“The one and only.”

Alex was speechless. There was so much she wanted to tell him. She wanted to thank him for his gift of Middang3ard, and to explain how playing this game had completely changed her life. She wanted him to know that who she was in his game was someone she could never dream of being in real life, and that the game often felt more real than her life did.

But there was too much to express. Instead, she stared silently at the old man.

Myrddin chuckled. “I was expecting you to be a little more talkative,” he admitted. “You spend so much time bantering with your fellow players.”

Alex cleared her throat and scratched the back of her head nervously. “Uh, it’s a surprise, is all. I wasn’t expecting any of this. And I wasn’t expecting to see you either. It’s just…a lot to take in.”

“What were you expecting to happen?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think I was truly expecting to be the only one to make it to the jewel.”

“You were not only the only one today to finish the raid, but also the only human to have completed the trial.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed. Did he just say, “the only human?”

Myrddin continued speaking as if he hadn’t noticed Alex’s surprise. “I personally didn’t think any humans were going to pass the final—”

“Wait, you mean, like, other players playing as other races, right?”

Myrddin’s eyes twinkled as he waved his hand. Two chairs and a coffee table appeared in the blackness of the room. The chairs were fluffy, homey things you might find in a professor’s office.

Two cups of coffee sat on the table, along with a variety of cookies. “No, I do not mean humans pretending to be elves or dwarves,” Myrddin said as he took a seat at the table. “I meant what I said—that you were the only human who managed to complete the trial.”

Alex took a seat; she had to. It felt like the rug had been pulled out from under her. Different races? Did that mean…

Myrddin took one of the cups of coffee and sipped it as he reclined in his chair. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for some time,” he explained. “You’re one of our top Dragonriders. The best human Rider by a large margin.”

Alex turned to face Myrddin, her heart continuing to race. “You said there were other races. You mean, people who aren’t human? Like, elves? Real elves?”

“I’m assuming you’ve heard the rumors by now.”

“That Middang3ard is real. That this isn’t just a game. That there’s a real place all of this is based on and you’re asking people to go there.”

“Do you believe them?”

Alex remained quiet. She knew deep down she’d always believed Middang3ard was a real place. It had to be. There was no way anyone, no matter how large the creative team, could have dreamed up such a fully fleshed-out world.

That being said, Alex didn’t usually let her imagination run away with her. Maybe she just hadn’t experienced enough videogames to have seen past the magic.

Regardless, Middang3ard was probably just an island someplace that the elite gamers were being treated to. There was no way an entirely different world could exist.

Alex sadly shook her head. It almost hurt her to say out loud that she didn’t believe Middang3ard was a place she could go. More than anything else, what hurt was realizing that even if Middang3ard was real, it was not a place she could experience.

Blind in real life meant blind in real life. “No,” Alex whispered. “I don’t believe in Middang3ard.”

Myrddin hadn’t stopped smiling. He placed his cup of coffee on the table. “You believe what you can see, don’t you?” he asked.

Alex gave Myrddin a look of incredulity. Did he know about her eyesight? His statements had become increasingly pointed on the topic of sight. Was he teasing her?

Myrddin raised his hand and a spindly oak wand appeared between his fingers. He waved it, and the world around them exploded in color. It was as if they were being pulled through the universe at a speed Alex couldn’t comprehend.

But this was virtual reality. Nothing Myrddin showed her was going to change her mind. So why is he trying so hard? she wondered. What would Myrddin gain by deceiving her?

When the colors finally settled into patterns that were more manageable, Alex found herself sitting in a cottage. A look around revealed it was a study much like she would have imagined Myrddin would have if he was an old wizard living in the shire.

The study was filled with bookcases stuffed with ancient-looking scrolls and tomes. There was a sofa that looked like it had been around since the dawn of time. A bearskin rug covered the floor, but it wasn’t a bear like anything Alex had ever read about before.

During her time in Middang3ard, she’d taken every chance to read anything with pictures. She’d seen what a bear looked like. This was something close but off. Two great antlers stretched from the bear’s head and its feet were webbed.

Myrddin and Alex were still sitting at the same table. They must have been in his study the entire time. “This is still just virtual reality, though,” Alex said. “I haven’t taken my headset off yet.”

Myrddin rose from his chair and headed toward the door. “Are you coming?” he asked as he looked over his shoulder.

Alex stood and walked after Myrddin. There wasn’t anything else to do.

The two of them walked through a living room that wasn’t much different from the study. There was a welcoming fireplace, but the predominant theme of the living room was the same: books and scrolls.

The biggest difference was that the living room was a mess. There was hardly anywhere to walk; Alex had to step over the books that covered the floor. “Do you live here?” Alex asked.

Myrddin bent over and picked up a book, looked at the title for a few seconds, then placed it on a bookcase as he walked by. “As you said, we are still in virtual reality,” he explained. “This is a virtual representation of my home pulled directly from my mind.

“Most of Middang3ard is based on my experiences and memories of the real Middang3ard. Some things were fleshed out by other mages and wizards. We never add anything that would not be found in the real place, but there are things we hide. Some of the more fantastical elements would break the average human’s ability to suspend disbelief, and we try to avoid that situation. I find it much easier to gauge the audience’s participation in my creation when they forget it isn’t real.”

Myrddin opened the door and stepped outside. Alex followed.

Night, in a way Alex had never experienced night in Middang3ard, had descended on the cottage. The air was crisper than she’d ever felt. She could scent flowers she’d never smelled before.

Now that she thought of it, she’d only ever smelled familiar flowers while playing in Middang3ard. She’d never run across anything unfamiliar.

Food smelled mostly like her mother’s meals. The first time it rained, all of Middang3ard had smelled like her favorite park during the first few hours of a fresh downpour.

Myrddin sat down on the grass and sighed softly as he lit a pipe. “Do you notice the difference?” he asked. “Even in this place? Can you sense how it’s different?”

Alex didn’t want to admit it out loud, but she felt the difference. If she’d thought the simulation of Middang3ard was real, she didn’t know where she was right now. This was real in a way she’d never experienced in VR before.

Myrddin pointed into the distance, where a young man was coming over the hill. “This is an undiluted memory,” Myrddin explained. “It’s created through a combination of tech and magic. The VR program works in a similar way, albeit not as succinctly. Things such as taste or smell are lifted from the player’s subconscious, but all of this is coming straight from me. It is undiluted. Pure, you could say.”

“It smells different,” Alex commented.

“Yes, it does. Like nothing you’ve ever smelled before, correct?”

“Never. Not in my entire life.”

“If you did not believe this last mission was going to bring you to Middang3ard, why did you put forth such an effort to finish it?”

Alex bit her lip as she tried to think of why it had been so important to finish the mission. Her initial distrust of Myrddin was gone.

“I finished because it was my mission,” Alex finally said, deciding to be as honest as possible. “If I take a mission, it’s my responsibility to my party and myself to finish it, no matter what.”

“Why would you care so deeply about something that is just a game?”

“I-I don’t know…”

Myrddin let out a cloud of nearly translucent smoke that took the shape of a boat filled with oarsmen rowing in the ocean of the night until they were out of view. “You’ve never thought Middang3ard was just a game. You’ll make an excellent Dragonrider.”

“I am a Dragonrider.”

Myrddin shook his head as he chuckled. “No, you are not,” he said sweetly. “You have learned how to ride a pale simulacrum of a dragon in a video game. You will need to retrain. Riding a true dragon is something entirely different. Hell, you and your dragon might not even get along.”

Alex didn’t understand Myrddin at first, but then his words settled in as she thought of her relationship with her dragon. There wasn’t one. Her dragon and those of other Riders didn’t have personalities. “What are real dragons like?” Alex asked.

“You could find out for yourself.”

“You mean, go to Middang3ard?”

“We need you.”

Alex considered the proposition. She still had no idea why Myrddin wanted her to come to Middang3ard. It was obvious she’d been training for something she was completely unaware of. Was there really something that evil, to cause Myrddin to recruit players through the game?

Alex cleared her throat, having nothing better to do. “I’m sorry. I can’t go,” Alex whispered.

Myrddin casually continued smoking his pipe. “Why is that?”

“You don’t need to—”

“Is it because you’re too small? Too young? I assure you, our elvish Riders are nearly as small as—”

“I am not small!”

“If you’re afraid of gender discrimination, our facilities are quite—”

“Dude, it’s almost 2020. That’s the least I’d expect from you.”

Myrddin leaned forward as he extinguished his pipe. For the first time, she felt like she could truly see how old he was. It was like looking at a shadow of a human being. He looked as if he were made of paper.

“Whatever it is you think makes you unfit for the true Middang3ard, I don’t care,” he argued. “I have gleaned what kind of person you are. You could be our…oh, confound it…uh, our Luke Skywalker.”

Alex laughed despite herself. “’Luke Skywalker?’ When was the last time you saw a movie?”

Myrddin laughed as well and leaned back in the grass to stare at the stars. “Too old? I don’t have much time for the theater. What would be an equivalent example?”

“Kylo Ren is pretty cool.”

“Isn’t he a villain? Serving the Sith Order?”

“I thought you didn’t have time to go to the movies?”

Myrddin sat up as he smiled. “My great-great-grandchildren have been talking about their Halloween costumes incessantly. I’ve managed to pick up which side is good or bad.”

“Well, he is kinda bad, but he’s mostly a badass.”

“My point is, we need you.”

Alex stood up abruptly and looked around at the world Myrddin had crafted from his memories. “I’m sorry. I can’t,” she blurted before reaching up and imagining herself disconnecting her VR headset. She logged off and left behind everything about Middang3ard she loved.

Chapter Five

Alex lay in her bed in the darkness, a darkness she was familiar with. It was her home. For the first time in her life, she was happy to be back in that home. What Myrddin had said to her was unsettling.

And that was putting it mildly.

Part of what he said seemed too good to be true. Other parts seemed to be outright lies, but that might have just been what she was telling herself. It was easier to say Myrddin was full of it than admit the real Middang3ard was out there, and she was barred from it for reasons outside her control.

After Alex felt she’d done a substantial amount of moping, she leaned over and reached for her phone. She usually charged it directly next to her pillow, but sometimes when she was flustered by her parents, she would forget where she’d placed it.

Luckily, years of repetition were hard to forget, and her phone was right where she normally left it. She hit the home screen and said, “Open Middang3ard player messages.”

The phone AI assistant answered in a bubbly tone. “Three new messages. Would you like me to play them for you, Alex?”

“Who are they from?”

“One message is from Jim, and the two messages marked urgent are from Myrddin.”

“Play the message from Jim.”

Alex got out of bed as she increased the speakerphone’s volume. She walked slowly toward her closet, using the tips of her toes to feel around to see if there was anything on the floor, though there rarely was.

Much like the placement of her cellphone, there were habits she’d drilled into her brain a long time ago. Picking up after herself was one of them. There wasn’t anything worse than waking up in a rush and stumbling over a book while trying to get dressed.

The only thing Alex ever left on the floor were her slippers. They were made in the likeness of a snarling jackalope and were extremely cozy. Slipping them on was like slipping on a hug. Alex thought it was one of the single most enjoyable aspects of life.

Jim’s voicemail started to play. “Hey-yo! Alex, I saw you cleared the level. We kinda figured you did when you didn’t respawn with the rest of us. Obviously, congratulations.”

Jim paused awkwardly before continuing, “The rest of the guys wanted to know if you would be down to run the raid with us again soon. We figured you probably got a bunch of cool loot, and that might give us an advantage. I think you might be the first Dragonrider to finish the raid.”

Alex felt around in her closet for the top she was looking for. It had a rhinestone applique she really liked. Her mom had told her it was a design of something extremely girly like a unicorn or something, but Alex didn’t care. She just liked the feel of the tiny stones.

Jim’s voice paused. “Also, we were wondering if, you know, the whole invitation was true? Is there really a Middang3ard? Call me when you get a chance. I know you have homeschooling or something lame to do today. Talk to you later.”

Alex grabbed a pair of pants and slipped on her sandals before moving to her desk. She picked up her foldable white cane and attached it to her belt loop. Was it real? Alex asked herself. Sure felt pretty real.

She figured she could tell Jim about the whole situation when she felt like it. She’d have to come up with a reasonable excuse why she’d rejected what could have been the most exciting thing to ever happen to her.

Fear?

Maybe it was that simple.

Fear of failing. Fear of being reminded she was blind. Fear of having something she wanted more than anything in the world dangled in front of her. Not everyone got a chance to be a hero. What if that chance had just passed?

It’s not like it even matters, Alex thought. I can’t see. Even if it is real, I can’t see any of it.

For a second, Alex thought about climbing back into bed. Then she smelled breakfast downstairs. Her mom, Liza, was making breakfast with her dad, George. They were frying bacon. Dad must have been cooking because they weren’t using the oven.

Alex could smell that the bacon fat was burning, slightly overcooking the bacon. George had made bacon once a few years ago and forgotten he was cooking. He’d walked away and left the bacon to keep frying.

Alex had been told the bacon had burned to the bottom of the pan, and she’d never forgotten that smell. It was like all of the best things left a little too long.

There was also the golden scent of pancakes. Years ago, she wouldn’t have known to call the smell golden, but when she started playing Middang3ard, she’d realized that was the smell—golden and perfect. Alex couldn’t smell syrup, though. She wondered if her parents had pulled it out of the fridge yet.

She walked out of her bedroom and touched the wall, her index finger finding the edges of a photo frame. She tapped the frame lightly before running her hand beneath it and heading toward the staircase. Her head was still a little fuzzy from signing out of VR.

Usually, Alex wouldn’t have bothered with all the precautions going downstairs. She’d been walking from her bedroom to the kitchen for almost seventeen years, but since she started playing Middang3ard, there were always a few moments of adjusting to not being able to see again.

Going from being able to see in the VR world to back to the darkness in the real world had never really bothered her.

Except for today.

No, it still doesn’t matter, she thought. Nothing has changed, just because I had one conversation with a crazy old man.

When Alex came to the stairwell, she sat down and leaned against the banister. She could smell better out here. She listened to the sound of her mother tapping eggs with a knife to crack them. It sounded different than when her father cracked his eggs against the side of the pan.

She could also smell the warm scent of the butter heating in the egg pan. Butter never really smelled like butter unless it was in a pan. Otherwise, it smelled like waiting.

George’s voice broke Alex’s thoughts. “Hey, honey!” he called. “You finally out of bed?”

Alex stood and descended the stairs, resting her hand on the banister and taking each step slower than usual. “Yeah, I’m up, Dad,” she yelled back. “Just got out of Middang3ard and smelled that you guys were cooking up a feast.”

George and Liza laughed. It was definitely one of Alex’s favorite sounds. When her parents laughed in sync, it sounded like love, like something true and unchanging. It was something solid you could reach out and touch and hold close because it was never going to leave.

Alex crossed the living room, unfolding her cane to be safe, and tapped where she knew the furniture was, stepping to the side to avoid various pieces as she walked into the kitchen, where she took a seat. Her world might have been dark, but it was filled with textures she could never take for granted.

Now that she was in the kitchen, she could smell her father’s aftershave and her mother’s deodorant. Neither of her parents had bothered trying new products since Alex was born. Now, anytime Alex smelt their brands of deodorant and aftershave, she couldn’t help but think of her parents.

Liza cleared her throat and asked, “You thirsty? Would our Sleeping Beauty like orange juice?”

Alex reached across the table to see if there was any toast. She thought she’d caught the faint whiff of perfectly toasted bread. Her fingers met something crusty, and she knew she’d been right. “I wasn’t asleep that long,” Alex countered.

Alex gingerly felt around until her fingers brushed the jar of jam on the table. She grabbed it and took the spoon out as she snagged a couple of pieces of toast.

George chuckled and said, “Uh-huh, and I’m assuming you know it’s almost noon. I’m also assuming you weren’t up taking care of your homework. You know we have a lot to get through today.”

“I told you guys last night I was going to wake up early and play through a raid with my friends. You were given fair warning. I feel like that should absolve me from any teasing from this point forward.”

George set the bacon right under Alex’s nose, and she couldn’t keep her mouth from watering. She wanted to reach out and take a handful, but she knew it was too hot. She also knew her parents would tease her mercilessly if she let on that she’d stayed in her room to play videogames despite being ravenous. Playing it cool was the best option.

Alex could smell the eggs her mother brought to the table. Then she heard the groans of her parents relaxing into their chairs and the clank of a glass hitting the table. “Is it safe to eat?” Alex asked. “Or am I being rude if I start now?”

George laughed as he tapped Alex’s right hand. Alex raised her hand so she could take the plate of eggs George passed to her. She spooned herself what she assumed was a reasonable amount before tapping her mother’s hand and passing her the plate of food.

The Bounds family continued in this way until all the dishes included in the meal had been shared. “Since everyone has been served, you can get started,” George said.

For the first few minutes of the meal, no one spoke. Apparently, everyone was as hungry as Alex was. She always appreciated that her parents didn’t try to make conversation until it felt natural. They could silently enjoy each other’s company while she focused on enjoying her meal.

Liza was an amazing cook. For a long time, Alex assumed she’d had this opinion because she loved her mom and was used to her cooking, but as Alex started staying over at friends’ houses for the night, she found she was blessed to live with a gourmet chef.

The kitchen was the room Alex felt the most comfortable in. She’d lost track of how many mornings and nights she’d sat at the table listening to her parents cooking and singing together. Occasionally, they convinced Alex to dance with them.

When Alex was ten, they started to teach her how to cook. They’d helped her memorize which fruits and vegetables were which, and instructed her how to smell when something was ripe. When Alex cooked for her friends, everyone made a huge deal out of it.

George’s cooking style was not as precise and detailed as Liza’s, but there was one area in which he could not be beaten: his abnormal understanding of meat. Chicken, steak, lamb, alligator—it didn’t matter. If it was meat, George could make something divine.

Once the initial delight of the meal had faded into normalcy, Liza poured herself another cup of orange juice. Alex heard her mother lean back in her chair. “So, how was your game today?” Liza asked.

Alex wasn’t prepared for her mother to ask her about Middang3ard. Her parents didn’t usually ask her about gaming unless it seemed like it was going to get in the way of her studies. It was a hobby they didn’t understand.

Anytime Alex brought it up, her parents would go on long rants about how videogames were different back in their day. You had to have more imagination, they would say. Graphics weren’t everything.

Yeah, but could they help you see back then? Alex mused.

From the tones of her parents’ voices, Alex had started to suspect they might both have been heavy gamers when they were younger.

The proposition from Myrddin was still fresh in Alex’s mind. She hadn’t quite processed what she was giving up by avoiding Middang3ard, but these were all things her parents weren’t going to understand. “It was pretty fun,” Alex finally said. “Me and the guys completed this raid we got with the free expansion pack. It was really hard. Most players haven’t even finished it yet.”

George coughed as he choked on his food. “You know, I was just reading a couple days ago about a bunch of physical therapy places using Middang3ard to help their clients with their therapy.”

Alex swallowed a bit of crispy bacon as she nodded. “Yeah, that would make sense,” she agreed. “I’ve heard there are a lot of people who play Middang3ard for that reason. I met this one girl who was in charge of one of the merchant guilds. She was the fastest rider on horseback I’ve ever seen. We were messaging after a quest together. She used to ride horses in real life until she had an accident a couple of years ago and wasn’t able to walk anymore. She obviously couldn’t ride either, but then she found Middang3ard and was able to get back on a horse again.”

“I imagine there are a lot of people like that in the game. You can kind of be whoever you want to, right?”

“Yeah but I prefer to be myself. It’s more fun that way.”

Alex’s dad ruffled her hair and said, “That’s what I like to hear.”

Liza’s chair scraped the linoleum floor as she pushed it back and stood. “You know, even though I was leery about the whole thing, I have to say I respect Myrddin for making such an accessible game.”

There was still a hint of mistrust in Liza’s voice when she continued, “For all the things companies have been dumping money into VR for, this one seems like it’s been the most helpful for people.”

Alex could tell her parents were talking around the pink elephant in the room. She didn’t mind. It was obvious what they were trying to say. Both of them had been terrified of the idea of Alex plugging into a virtual world.

Now that Alex’s parents were seeing VR wasn’t something they had to be afraid of, they were beginning to understand it allowed Alex to experience life in a way she’d never been able to before.

Alex tapped her dad’s hand and said, “Bacon, please. And yeah, it is pretty cool to see people being able to do stuff they couldn’t before. Not just people like me, either. There are kids who are super shy in real life and they’re practically legends in Middang3ard, like Kevin from homeschool group.”

George laughed loudly as he slapped his knee. “Kevin? That kid’s a legend in Middang3ard? Now that’s kind of awesome.” He chuckled. “I didn’t know he could speak, to be honest.”

“They call him ‘Silver-tongue Kevin.’ He’s a pirate or merchant. Something like that.”

Alex heard her mother take a seat again, and the smell of fresh coffee wafted through the air. Liza asked, “So, what’s this I’m hearing on the news that Middang3ard is real? It’s just a game, right?”

Alex heard fear in her mother’s voice. “Oh, no, nothing like that,” Alex explained. “It’s just a game. It’s just…well, there are rumors that Middang3ard is based on a real place, and that you’ll get invited to go to the real Middang3ard if you beat the final expansion.”

Across the table, George slurped his coffee. “What about you?” he asked. “Do you believe Middang3ard is a real place? That would be kind of fantastic. I’ve seen videos of what the game looks like. Dragons and elves and all that. You think it might be real?”

Alex decided to level with her parents. There wasn’t any reason why she couldn’t tell them what she actually believed. They didn’t need to hear about Myrddin, though.

Alex took a deep breath. “Well, yeah, I believe it’s real,” she admitted. “I mean, the world is so beautiful and full of life. I think it would be harder to not believe it’s real. How could anyone dream up something like that? You guys have seen the screenshots I’ve sent you, right?”

Liza blew on her coffee, causing a slight whistle. “Ugh, I can’t imagine a world like that.” She groaned. “All those monsters everywhere. A place where demons walk around. That would be terrifying. Utterly terrifying.”

There was a knock on the front door, and Alex heard her mother rise from her chair. “It is another Jehovah’s Witness,” she muttered. “I am getting very tired of explaining why we are happy with our church, thank you very much.”

George chuckled as Alex tried to keep from laughing. “So don’t be so nice,” he suggested. Then he turned to Alex and whispered, “They’re not here to convert her. They’re here because every time they knock, she invites them in for cookies.”

Alex took a sip of her orange juice and, with a giggle, said, “It’s always the cookies, isn’t it?”

The two of them shared a laugh, one that was abruptly cut off when Liza’s scream rang through the air.

It was a sound of pure terror. George jumped up, his chair flying backward and rattling on the floor. “What the hell?” he shouted as he ran toward the front door.

Chapter Six

Alex rushed from the kitchen to the living room. She nearly tripped over her chair while moving so fast. After regaining her balance, she tried to focus on something other than her mother’s frantic screams to keep from freaking out.

Now it wasn’t just Alex’s mother screaming; George had joined in. Both were shouting unintelligibly. Something horrible must be happening.

What if someone was robbing them, or someone had showed up at their door with a gun? It could have been anything, and for the first time in a long time, Alex was completely terrified by what she could not see.

Without thinking about it, Alex reached for the cane hanging from her belt. She quietly unfolded it as she hugged the wall on the opposite side of the door. She knew she couldn’t be seen from here. The wall jutted out, and you had to inch around it to get to the front door.

Alex’s mother was shouting, “What is it, George? What the hell is this thing?”

George had stopped screaming, but he wasn’t making any sense. At first, he was babbling, trying to find the words to describe something. What could they possibly be looking at? Alex wondered.

She’d never heard her father lose his cool like this before. It was rare for him even to raise his voice, but here he was, trapped in the throes of a horror Alex could only imagine.

Neither of her parents had been ready for whatever had been at the door, and Alex knew she wasn’t either. The only difference was that she had the element of surprise.

Alex’s subconscious was saying, “This isn’t Middang3ard, and you aren’t some kind of hero who can swoop in and save the day. You’re a blind girl with a walking cane. What can you do to help?”

Not stand here like an idiot, Alex thought. Then she inched around the wall and listened closely to see if she could pinpoint where the threat was.

It was hard to hear over her mother’s continued screaming. By now, her father had stopped stumbling over his words and was speaking very quietly to whoever was at the door.

Alex jumped out from behind the wall with her walking stick raised. From Liza’s and George’s voices, she could tell roughly where they were. Whatever was freaking them out was most likely between the two adults.

Alex raced forward like all the times in Middang3ard. Even with this being real life, it still felt natural. She’d fought countless gnomes, dwarves, elves, and humans. This wasn’t going to be any different.

Alex leapt, her cane poised for an attack, and brought it down on what she hoped was the head of whoever was trying to break into her house. The first thing she noticed was that whatever she hit was soft and spongy. It was not the skull of a person.

It wasn’t textured like anything that should show up at your front door in the middle of the day. The closest thing she could think of was a pillow that had been stuffed with meat.

When she fell back, Liza crouched next to her. Her mother wrapped her arms around Alex’s middle, and they both backed away.

George picked up Alex’s cane, or at least that was what she figured was happening from the sound of the cane scraping the floor, and shouted, “You need to get the hell out of here right now! We don’t want any trouble. You need to leave!”

The sound of the cane swishing back and forth let Alex know George was swinging madly at whatever she’d hit.

As Liza pulled Alex back into the living room, she shouted, “We’ll call the cops! I don’t have any idea what the hell you are, but the cops will deal with you if you don’t leave right now.”

The voice that came back was very deep, and almost relaxing. Alex could hear the fear and frustration in the speaker’s tone. “I apologize. I apologize,” the speaker said. “I was told you’d be expecting me. I am so sorry for the inconvenience.”

“How could we ever be expecting anything like you?”

Alex leaned close to her mom and whispered in her ear, “Mom, what’s going on?”

Liza replied, “It’s a monster. Oh, God, it’s horrible. It’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen.”

“What kind of monster?”

“What do you mean, what kind of monster? It’s a monster monster.”

Alex could still hear her father swiping at the creature at the front door. “I swear to God, I’ll smash your head in if you take one step into my house,” George shouted.

The monster stumbled over his words as if he were trying to find the right thing to say. “I’m so, so sorry. I can come back at a better time if you’d like. I didn’t mean to interrupt whatever humans do this early in the morning.”

Alex grabbed Liza and pulled her closer. “Mom, tell me what it looks like,” she demanded, unable to believe there was a real monster at her front door. How could this happen?

Liza took a deep breath as she tried to calm down. “Oh, it’s disgusting,” she muttered. “It’s like a giant, floating, misshapen head, and it has an eye in the middle, with a mouth and fangs. There are these tendrils, and all the tendrils have eyes that keep staring and staring. George, get the gun!”

The creature yelped loudly. Not the kind of yelp that comes from something that’s here to kill you, Alex thought. “Wait, wait, there’s no reason to get firearms involved,” the voice said. “Most incidents of gun violence take place in the home. We don’t want to contribute to that. Ahh, Myrddin sent me for Alex.”

George swiped again at whatever was at the front door. “You stay away from my daughter!” Turning to Liza, he yelled, “Honey, get the shotgun! Go, fast!”

“Wait!” Alex shouted. “Just hold on. I think I know what this thing is.”

No one spoke. Only the rapid breathing of everyone waiting to see what was going to happen could be heard. “Myrddin sent you?”

The creature, at least that’s what Alex assumed it was, spoke in a perfectly normal human voice. “Yes. I’m here to recruit you.”

“Wait, you’re a recruiter? Like in the game?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a Beholder, aren’t you?” Alex finally asked.

The creature laughed nervously before saying, “Yes, yes, I am. My name is Manny. I’m here on behalf of Myrddin. I wasn’t expecting this kind of greeting, and I must say, I’m a bit flustered. I had heard humans were much more hospitable than orcs, but…”

“Alex,” George asked, his voice weary and wavering, “you know what this is?”

“Yeah,” Alex nodded. “A Beholder. Basically, it’s a floating basketball with a hundred or so eyes jutting out of it.”

“How did you—” Liza started.

“I’ve seen one before.”

“Seen?” George muttered.

“Yeah, Dad. In the game. Beholders are the, ah…recruiters in the VR game, and I’ve seen one before. When I first joined the Riders.” She turned her attention to Manny. “What are you doing here?”

“You are Alex the Boundless, the blind Dragonrider, right?”

Alex felt her face go red. If she’d been in Middang3ard, she would have hit Manny for saying something like that. She couldn’t stand it when people labeled her as blind, but then again, she did it to herself all the time.

Ahh, it was all so frustrating!

It wasn’t that she was ashamed of it or anything; it just irked her when people who knew nothing about her reduced her to a single character trait. “My name is Alex,” she spat. “And I am a Dragonrider. How did you know I was blind?”

“Myrddin informed before he sent me here.”

So, Myrddin did know I’m blind. And he still wants me to come to Middang3ard? she wondered.

Manny cleared his throat. When he spoke again, his voice was closer. Alex assumed he’d floated farther into the house. Neither of her parents seemed to have an immediate issue with it.

“Myrddin asked me to give you a gift,” Manny explained. “It seems some of the finer details of coming to Middang3ard may have been left unexplained. Myrddin is, unsurprisingly, not the best at talking to people. Personally, I wish he would just allow me to take care of introductions and recruiting.”

Liza snorted derisively. “You, in charge of introductions? You’re horrifying!” she exclaimed. Then she caught herself. “No offense.”

“I’m going to assume you’re only being this rude because you’ve never seen a Beholder and have no idea of our standards of beauty or attractiveness are, but that is neither here nor there. Alex,” Manny said, turning to the young Rider, “would you be so kind as to close your eyes?”

The day had already been weird enough, so Alex didn’t see the harm in playing along with what Manny or Myrddin was planning. She shut her eyes tightly.

There was a warm tingling against the back of Alex’s head and in her eyelids. Abruptly, the tingling became extremely hot and brought tears to her eyes. She yelped softly before rubbing her closed lids.

When she opened her eyes, she saw the outline of her hands.

She screamed and jumped backward, then whirled around with her eyes wide open, seeing everything for the first time. The world around her was dull gray and green, similar to the color scheme she’d seen in Middang3ard before its first big patch. If it wasn’t for the game, she wouldn’t know what colors were. The game had shown her so much.

Just like now. Except now wasn’t a game. It was real life.

For the first time ever, she looked around her house and saw the walls and furniture and the paintings and photographs on the wall. She turned to her parents.

George’s face looked uncertain as he gazed at Alex. She turned to face Liza, who was still holding her tightly. She looked at her mother’s face and saw the wrinkles and lines and the nose she’d drawn in the palm of her hands as a child.

Alex saw her mother for the first time with her own eyes and cried, “What’s happening?”

“It’s like Myrddin said. Being blind isn’t a problem in Middang3ard, not when there’s magic,” Manny explained—not that Alex heard him.

She was too busy looking at her parents for the first time. Her parent’s faces were…well, beautiful.

Manny seemed to understand the gravity of the moment and awkwardly floated back and forth as if he were pacing. “Maybe, I should give you guys some time alone,” he suggested before floating past the family into the kitchen.

* * *

Alex was in her room, lying in bed, staring at her ceiling. Staring. She’d read in books for years about people staring—just looking ahead with nothing on their mind, zoning in and out as thoughts bounced around.

She hadn’t realized she’d had no idea what staring was like. Letting her mind wander in the blackness she’d grown up in was so much different than this. She couldn’t understand how anyone could look at a wall for longer than two or three minutes. There was so much else to see.

After Manny granted Alex her eyesight through some kind of magic, she’d cried for what felt like hours before she realized this was far too big of an occurrence to deal with surrounded by three other people, one of them being a Beholder who was likely from an alternate dimension.

She sat up and looked around her room. It was odd how much she’d decorated without seeing any part of it. She’d chosen the color of the walls based on her parent’s descriptions and covered them with posters she’d urged her parents to buy her. The posters were of bands she loved, movies she’d watched with her folks that were particularly important, and other things of that sort. It amazed her how her room could have so much personality, so much of her personality, without her ever seeing it.

Out of curiosity, she stood up and went to her bathroom. She flipped on the lights and looked at her favorite shirt, the one she was wearing that was covered in rhinestones. She couldn’t help but laugh. Her mother was right; the shirt was gaudy and somewhat disgusting. The drawing of the unicorn looked like something a six-year-old would wear. She was thankful her mother always talked her out of wearing it in public.

Myrddin gave this to me, but is it only so I can go to Middang3ard? Alex thought. That seemed extremely cruel to her. What if, after all this, she decided she didn’t want to go? Would Myrddin take back her eyesight? What kind of man would do something like that?

The questions were pointless, though. Alex now knew Middang3ard was real beyond a shadow of a doubt. The only thing that mattered at this point was getting there. What did Myrddin have lined up for his recruits on the planet? Where things as dire as the online rumors said?

Folks who had allegedly signed up for Middang3ard were saying there was a huge war going on, one they were hiding from the citizens of Earth. The war was something that could tear apart everything humans knew and loved.

Even with thoughts of war, Alex didn’t want to spend the rest of her day in her room when there was so much more to look at. What surprised her the most wasn’t that she wanted to explore her neighborhood, it was that she didn’t.

There was only one place Alex truly wanted to see, and she needed to talk to Manny about that.

Chapter Seven

George, Liza, and Manny were in the living room when Alex descended the stairs. Her parents were trying to make small talk with the Beholder.

Even though Alex hadn’t had much experience reading her parent’s body language, she could tell it was an awkward conversation. Manny kept wiping his face with his eye-tipped tentacles. Occasionally, as he swiped one across his face, Alex’s vision would blur.

She walked into the living room and sat between her parents, wedging herself in until they had to move. Manny was floating back and forth, looking as nervous as someone applying for their first job.

He cleared his throat multiple times but didn’t say anything. Neither did Alex’s parents. It was obvious she was going to be the one to get this conversation going. “How did you do that, Manny?” she asked. “How did you make it so I can see?”

His body puffed up as he smiled brightly, his fangs glimmering. “Well, it’s not the real deal,” he explained. “I cast a simple spell that allowed you to see through my eyes, so everything wasn’t as confusing.”

“So, you’re saying I can’t really see? But you weren’t in my room with me. How could I see any of that?”

“Oh, well, I am a Beholder,” he lectured. “You know, one of the ancients who sees many things. My eyes aren’t limited in the human sense. I see everything in this house at once. Each eye sees a different layer of reality. I just tapped you into one.”

Alex’s heart dropped. Myrddin granting her sight for the sake of helping her was too good to be true. She knew she shouldn’t have assumed anything else. So, was Myrddin hanging potential sight over her head like a carrot to get her to come to Middang3ard?

George crossed his arms as he leaned forward on the couch. “What is all this about? Does your boss make it a habit to send you to people’s houses to scare the crap out of them, or is this a special occasion?”

Most of the Beholder’s eyes flipped around to look at George. “I don’t think it’s intended to scare the crap out of anyone, but it happens often enough,” Manny admitted. “Usually, I only meet with the potential recruit, but this was a special situation, with Alex being a minor.”

Anger overwhelmed Alex, and she blurted, “I can make my own decisions!”

Liza rested her hand on Alex’s and smiled sweetly at her daughter. “Honey, I don’t think this is the time to be having the independent teenager conversation.”

Liza turned to Manny and asked, “Just what is this recruitment that you and this Myrddin… Did I say that right? What is it that you are trying to recruit my only daughter, who I love enough to kill for, to do?”

Manny forced a smile as he tried to disguise how awkward he felt. “Myrddin wanted to speak with the three of you himself,” Manny stumbled. “So, if you don’t mind, I can patch him in, and he can explain all this. How’s that sound?”

Liza, George, and Alex were silent. All had their arms folded and wore identical annoyed looks on their faces. “Damn, this is a hard crowd,” Manny mumbled. “All right, so, let me go ahead and pull Myrddin in.”

One of Manny’s eyes began to twitch, and the tentacle it was attached to grew longer until it was right in front of Alex’s family. The eye jiggled in its socket and went white, then a bright beam shot out from the eye, and a column of light sprang up.

The column slowly took Myrddin’s shape.

The old wizard smiled encouragingly at Alex and her parents. “Thank you so much for inviting me into your home,” Myrddin gushed. “I have been waiting to finally meet the parents of one of my top players. Your daughter has excelled in Middang3ard in a way I never believed a human player could.”

George couldn’t help but look proud of his daughter—and then Myrddin’s words made sense. “Thank you, but, er...did you say human players?” he asked. “Implying there are non-human players?”

Myrddin nodded as he took a seat in one of the empty chairs in the room. “Yes, yes.” He spoke as if he wanted to rush through the conversation. “We use the Middang3ard for basic training for most of the elves and dwarves.”

Myrddin fidgeted in his chair before continuing, “Humans are the only race where we use it for recruitment. The rest of the races haven’t lost touch with the magical world around them, so they don’t need as much convincing.”

Despite herself, Liza was interested and leaned forward. “What do you mean?”

Myrddin waved his hand as he spoke. “For them, it’s mostly the game of politics, trying to figure out how many recruits we can expect to have and what their nations want as payment—all that diplomatic nonsense. Luckily, the human leaders have been much more accommodating.”

“And humans are different?”

“Generally, we only have to deal with the lack of belief on a personal level, and if I'm honest, that is much easier than trying to persuade a Drow lord to promise at least two hundred of his finest warriors instead of enrolling them into his guard. I have really lost interest in that conversation.”

Liza and George stared at Myrddin blankly. “I’m afraid I’m not following any of this,” Liza stated.

Myrddin lowered his head and rested it on his hands. “I’m so sorry. Let me back up some to give you a better idea of what is going on. The world you know is only a fraction of what exists. There are seven realms, or perhaps nine, depending on how you’re counting. Those realms are all sandwiched on top of each other.”

George scoffed as he sat up in his chair. “You really expect us to believe that load of crap?”

Myrddin gestured toward Manny, who was now rubbing some of his slimy eye tentacles on the fireplace. “My emissary is proof enough of the reality. I heard one of you managed to hit him?”

Alex meekly raised her hand. “It was me,” she admitted.

“Fantastic! Even out of the game, you show your warrior spirit. Now that we’ve covered all that, what do you say about coming to join us on Middang3ard?”

Liza stood up, waving her hands in front of her as if she could wave away Myrddin’s words. “Hold on a second,” she said. “You haven’t told us anything about what you are trying to recruit my daughter for. All you’ve said is that magic and elves exist.”

Myrddin pressed his hand to his chest. “Oh, dear, I am terribly sorry,” he apologized. “I neglected the most important thing. These realms are in danger. There is a great evil that threatens the very reality of each and every realm. I believed I had more time to prepare for this evil…”

Myrddin waved his hand and the living room disappeared. They were all now sitting on a ridge. “I was wrong, though,” Myrddin whispered.

Off in the distance, orcs were gathering. They were nearly seven feet tall. Their gray bodies were covered in war paint, and all carried axes or swords. “The Dark One came,” Myrddin explained. “And with his arrival, he brought death and destruction to the realms.”

The orcs in the canyon roared with rage. They clanked their swords and axes on their shields as they gnashed their teeth. Furious, they raced toward Alex and her parents, shredding everything in front of them.

Myrddin walked away from the rest of the group. He held up his wand, and a bright light shone from it. “In all of this, humans have only one group that stands for us: our military. But there is a cross-species group known as the MERCs, and within MERC, we have multiple smaller outfits.

Myrddin paused. “George, your daughter was unknowingly training for one of our most prestigious groups, those known as ‘the Dragonriders.’ No human yet has been capable of what she has done.”

The canyon faded, and Alex was back in her living room sitting between her parents. Myrddin and Manny were still there as well. It became painfully obvious now that none of this was fiction. There was a war going on.

Myrddin shifted in his seat. He didn’t look uncomfortable and his stoic face didn’t reveal any awkwardness, yet his body would not stop moving. His eyes locked with Alex’s and did not blink until Liza spoke up. “Are you saying you want our daughter to go to war?”

Manny glanced around the room, his eyes wild as he tried to determine where he was supposed to look. “We are at war already,” Manny explained. “None of us chose this war. We are already in it.”

Liza stood and ran her hands through her hair as tears formed in her eyes. “No, you can’t ask this of her. She’s only a child. You can’t take a child to war. You can’t!”

George stood and took Liza in his arms. “Honey, hold on. We need to think about this. We can’t jump to any conclusions.”

Liza pushed George away, her eyes fierce. “Are you kidding me?” she shouted. “You have to be joking. You’re actually entertaining the idea of sending our daughter to war? She isn’t even an adult yet, and you want to send her to fight? She could die, George.”

George sat back down on the couch and looked at Alex. “If there is a war, who are we to stop her from doing what she thinks is right?”

“Just because you served and think it was the best decision of your life, it doesn’t mean everyone else does. Do you remember how worried your parents were? How much sleep we all lost, wondering if you were safe?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Alex interrupted. “I couldn’t go to Middang3ard even if I wanted to. All Manny’s done is let me see through his eyes. I’m still blind. Nothing is going to change that. I couldn’t ride. Period.”

Myrddin looked at Alex and smiled. “Goodness, child, do you think I’m a second-rate sorcerer? Your lack of sight has never been an issue. I can solve this issue with a wave of my hand?”

“But it’ll only be solved if I come to Middang3ard?”

Myrddin turned his eyes away from Alex. He took a long time answering. “My services are for those who defend our realm,” he finally said. “What I can give you is for Middang3ard and Middang3ard alone, but I am not here to bribe or blackmail you. We need warriors—willing warriors. That is why I have decided that whatever you chose, I will restore your eyesight. Stay and hide, and you will do so sighted. Come and fight, and the same awaits you.”

Liza ran over to Myrddin and got in his face. “There is nothing wrong with my daughter,” she shouted. “She doesn’t need your magic to fix her. She’s not going. You’re not putting her in that kind of danger.”

Alex watched her mother speak. Her mom was right. She didn’t need to be fixed, but it made her angry that her mom thought she had to speak for her. I’m not a kid, Alex thought. I should at least have a say in all of this.

Alex opened her mouth to speak, but her mother raised her hand, cutting Alex off before she could say a word. “That’s final, young lady,” Liza growled. “You’re not going to Middang3ard.”

Chapter Eight

George and Liza argued back and forth, but Alex didn’t hear anything. She was still in shock from her mother’s last words. She wasn’t going to Middang3ard. Hearing the words spoken aloud was almost too much for her, especially since the decision didn’t seem to be hers to make.

Listening and seeing Myrddin describe the state Middang3ard was in against the Dark One had done a little to change her opinion about going, and it didn’t help that Myrddin said he would restore her eyesight no matter what she chose. If only the condition had been set that she must come to Middang3ard as well.

At first, it had seemed like a cruel ploy to get her to join his military by preying on her desire to see.

And if he could help her, he could help everyone, right? The more she thought about it, though, the more sense it made. Maybe he could help everyone, but as powerful as he was, he was still only one man.

Myrddin couldn’t go around curing every disability in the world.

However, it seemed like a moot point at the moment. The decision had been made. Sighted or not, Alex was staying on Earth. It would eat her alive knowing Middang3ard was a real place she could visit but wouldn’t.

Then the gravity of the situation settled back in. The whole reason Myrddin needed Alex to come to Middang3ard was to fight in a war. A war meant people were dying. It meant there was a possibility she could die.

Alex thought back to all the times she’d seen her party members die. Those had been heart-wrenching moments, even with the knowledge that her friends were going to respawn a couple of hours later. Could she handle people actually dying?

Alex raised her hand as if she were in class. All the adults in the room stopped talking and looked at her. “People are dying in Middang3ard, aren’t they?” Alex asked.

Myrddin solemnly nodded as he leaned forward on his cane. “Yes, they are, and most of them are innocent people. Our armies are well trained, as are our MERCs. We don’t lose many of them, and we try not to send them into situations they aren’t prepared for.”

“Why is the Dark One doing this?”

“We’ve been trying to figure that out for years. There doesn’t seem to be a reason. His backstory isn’t known, unlike those of all the bosses we’ve included in your raids. We don’t know why he decimates everything he comes in contact with.”

Alex turned to her mother, resting her hand on Liza’s kneecap. “Mom, it should be my choice.”

Liza’s eyes widened as she practically jumped from the sofa. “Like hell, it should be,” Liza shouted as she shook her head vigorously. “The whole reason that…that this man is here is because he can’t justify taking a child away from her parents.”

Myrddin tapped his cane three times to get the room’s attention. “I am here because I care deeply about what is best for Alex. Just because I want her to come to Middang3ard does not mean I want her to fracture the relationships with those she is sworn to protect.”

George was staring at the fireplace, where medals from his time in the Marines were displayed on the mantle. “Are you saying Alex has the potential to help people?” he asked. “To defend them? She isn’t going to be some grunt you’re throwing to the first infantry line or something like that?”

Liza threw her hands up in exasperation. “What does it matter?” she asked. “Either way, he’s asking our daughter to risk her life for some world we know nothing about.”

Myrddin raised his cane as if it would cast some kind of peace over the conversation. “I can assure you Alex would not be front-line fodder,” he answered. “We are not the Army. Our Riders are highly trained and highly qualified. They are akin to the Navy SEALS and other such programs—”

Alex cut Myrddin off. “So, what am I to you?” she accused.

Myrddin did not back off from the question. “Our only hope, Obi-Wan,” Myrddin replied.

Alex sighed.

“You think I’m joking, but no other humans have your reaction time. It rivals that of the elves in the Dragonrider program.”

There was a brief silence before Liza and George started arguing with each other again. Alex tried to tune them out. She only caught an occasional word or phrase but was able to piece together what was going on regardless.

George thought they should hear Myrddin out. If Alex really was a prodigy and there really was a war going on, maybe it was their civic duty to let Alex make her own decision.

Liza wouldn’t hear it. She didn’t care if there was a war going on. She reminded George how adamant he’d been about never letting Alex join the Marines. Liza didn’t see any difference simply because what Myrddin offered included dragons.

Alex stood up abruptly, causing both of her parents to stop talking. “How about we show them?” Alex stated. “We take them into Middang3ard and let them see the place I love so much for themselves.”

For the first time since Myrddin had appeared in the room, he smiled. “That is a wonderful idea. What do the two of you think about it? You’ve seen screenshots, but they don’t compare to the real thing. Step into my world and see what it is we are trying to protect.”

Liza cast a dubious glance in Myrddin’s direction. “You mean, you’ll take us to Middang3ard?” she asked.

“Not the realm proper. Since humans have lost the use of magic, there are many protections we have in place to keep people from slipping in and out of Middang3ard. But allowing you to see the Middang3ard VR will give you a rough idea of what your daughter would be fighting for.”

Alex could tell Liza still didn’t trust Myrddin. Even though she’d only had a little bit of time to see her mother’s reactions, Alex could already sense when her mother was not at ease.

George, on the other hand, could not have looked more excited. “Wait, you mean we can actually see it?” he asked. “And see Alex in action?”

Myrddin nodded as he stood. “You can definitely see the world, but I would advise against seeing Alex in action,” he answered. “Your daughter’s role in the game is somewhat dangerous. It is not for the faint of heart.”

Alex shrugged and smiled as she stood and walked over to Myrddin. “How about you let me take them out for a little bit?” she offered. “Give them my own kind of tour.”

Myrddin waved his hand, and three VR sets appeared on the coffee table. “I would have it no other way.” Myrddin chuckled. “Please show them a good time. You shouldn’t have any problem adjusting your headsets. Put them on, and they’ll take care of the rest.”

Alex grabbed two of the headsets and handed them to her parents. She was eager to get started, and she saw that same eagerness was on her father’s face. Liza did not look even remotely excited. “Come on, Mom. Give it a try,” Alex encouraged.

Liza held the headset to her eyes and glared at the visor. “And you’re saying this isn’t dangerous?” she asked.

“Nope, not at all. I’ve been playing for months, and I’ve never had any problems.”

“Fine. But if I don’t like it, I’m going to log out. Understood?”

“Sounds fair enough.”

Liza and George put on their headsets as Alex squeezed between them. She flashed Myrddin a thumbs-up before putting her own headset on. She hoped this would work. Who could go to Middang3ard and not fall in love with it?

* * *

Alex opened her eyes. She was sitting on a thatch bed back in Middang3ard. She looked around the room, checking to see if her parents had spawned where she had. When she leaned over and looked at the floor, she saw both of them. They had spawned in the fetal position. Alex waited for them to wake up.

Liza was the first to stir. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. When she saw Alex, there was no initial reaction. Then she smiled as if she’d just seen a long-lost friend. “Honey, your hair is so long,” Liza gushed. “I’ve never seen you wear it that long before!”

Alex had forgotten that was the one thing she’d done to her appearance that didn’t match up with real life. Since this was just a game, Alex went through three or four different options a week. She sometimes did quests just to unlock more styles; it was kind of a hobby.

“Oh, yeah,” Alex shyly replied. “I was just curious. It’s much easier to go to the hairstylist and see how something works here than have to spend three years growing my hair out, only to get a haircut I don’t like. I have some pictures saved of the other ones in case you want to check them out.”

Liza stood up and stretched while she looked around the room. “That sounds great,” she said. “Is this your place? Do you have your own house?”

“No, no. I didn’t want the whole house thing. I just have a room in a tavern.”

“In a tavern?”

“Don’t worry, Mom, it’s not what you think. The taverns here are more like inns, and there’s no alcohol for minors in the game. We just get a drink that makes our stomach warm, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Liza looked down at George, who was still sleeping comfortably on the floor. “Is he okay?” she asked.

Alex knelt next to her father and nudged him with her finger. “Yeah, he’s okay,” she answered. “When you wake up in VR, it’s a lot like waking up in real life. Some people are heavier sleepers than others. We could give him the ol’ Middang3ard wakeup call if you want.”

“What’s that?”

Alex scrolled through her inventory until she found what she was looking for—a goblin war horn. She selected it, and the horn materialized in her hand, then she took a deep breath and blew with all she had.

George jumped up at the sound of the horn. His eyes went wide as he tried to find the source of the noise, and he looked as if he were likely to bolt out of the room from sheer fear.

Then he noticed Alex and Liza were laughing their butts off. “Ha-ha,” George sarcastically muttered. “Mess with the guy who’s enjoying a little nap. Real mature. Glad your sense of humor transfers to VR.”

Alex walked a circle around her parents. Both George and Liza had spawned with basic peasant clothes. “You guys look kinda…blah,” she said. “If we’re going to go on a tour of Middang3ard, I don’t want you two looking like a bunch of newbs. Let’s get you some new clothes.”

Alex went over to her closet and flung it open. This was where she kept all the armor she didn’t want to lug around in her inventory. She figured it would be nice to hold onto in case she ever made another character or met a new player she wanted to help.

George leaned into the closet and whistled. “Wow, how come you can’t manage to keep your room this clean?” he asked.

“My room is immaculate!” Alex retorted.

“How did you get so much cool stuff?”

“Different quests and shopping, I guess. My savings in Middang3ard makes the real-life me look like a pauper. Grab whatever you want, and make sure to pick a weapon, too. You never know what might reach out and grab you.”

Liza didn’t laugh at the joke, and Alex realized she might have to downplay how randomly dangerous Middang3ard could be, even if it was her favorite part. After waiting for her parents to choose their outfits, the trio left the room and went downstairs.

As usual, the tavern was mostly populated by dwarves and elves. There were a few humans and a handful of gnomes, but it looked like there might be an event going on in-game for elves and dwarves.

Either way, Liza and George could not keep their eyes in their heads. They gawked at every player who walked by, marveling at how realistic each race looked. “I used to play tabletop RPG games,” Liza muttered. “I never saw any model or drawing that looked this good.”

George bumped into a dwarf, nearly knocking his beer out of his hand. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he apologized.

The dwarf puffed out his chest. “Oi, you better be, or we might have to settle this with axes,” he barked.

Alex stepped between the dwarf and George. “Hey, hey, don’t make this a bigger deal than it is,” Alex threatened. “Or it’ll be my axe you’ll be tasting.”

The dwarf looked Alex up and down, trying to gauge how big a threat the girl posed. “Hey, ain’t you Boundless?” the dwarf asked.

Alex pretended not to be flattered by another player recognizing her, but if she was honest with herself, it was one of her favorite parts of Middang3ard. “In the virtual flesh,” she finally admitted.

The dwarf’s rough face broke into a smile. “Well, I’ll be pickled. Word is you cleared the Dragonriders’ expansion. Word’s all over Middang3ard.” The dwarf looked over his shoulder, then leaned in close to whisper, “Is it true what they say? About the invitation?”

Alex’s eyes sparkled as she answered the dwarf. “Oh, it’s true. I’m bringing my parents along for a little tour, so they can see what it’s all about.”

The dwarf turned to George and bowed low. “I apologize, good sir,” the dwarf practically yelled. “I did not mean to insult the parents of Boundless. It is my honor to meet you. She is one of the most honorable players I have had the pleasure of raiding with. Good day to you, sir and milady!” The dwarf bowed again and strode off.

George and Liza gave Alex very impressed looks. “Do you usually get such a fanfare when you come here?” George asked.

Alex shrugged and pointed at the bar. “It’s a Middang3ard custom to open a game with a cup of grog, or in your adult cases, a pint of ale before discussing the quests or plans for the day. You can even get food if you’re hungry. I’d suggest it. The food here is amazing. Not quite as good as yours, Mom, but still pretty good.”

The three of them went to the bar and ordered a grog, two ales, and a round of mutton cooked medium-rare. The barmaid brought the drinks, and Alex explained they were going to have to wait a little bit for their food. It was part of the VR immersion.

As George sipped his beer, he let out a sigh and said, “Well, I can tell you right now, I am thoroughly immersed.”

After some time, the mutton came, and the three Bounds tore into the succulent meat. Liza took a break to talk to the barmaid about how the meat was prepared. She hadn’t had anything so delicious before.

She wanted to take notes for George, who would not admit he was wowed until the meal was over. Finally, he leaned back in his chair, and exclaimed, “I can’t believe this is virtual reality!”

Alex handed her cup back to the barmaid and polished off the last bit of mutton before standing. “You haven’t even experienced the best part,” Alex said. “Come on. Follow me.”

Alex took her parents by the hands and pulled them from the tavern. It took everything she had not to go running down the village streets. She wanted to get them into the sky as soon as possible, but she also realized that much of what made Middang3ard interesting was its small intricacies.

The expertly-crafted town really did make you feel like you were in a completely different world. Alex made sure to walk slowly so her parents could absorb everything they saw.

George pointed at a metalworker’s shop. “Can we go see the smith?” he asked.

Liza laughed as Alex directed them down the street. “George, you can see a blacksmith at a Renaissance fair,” she said. “You don’t have to use virtual reality for that.”

They were nearing the edge of the village. Some of the local players and NPCs had recognized Alex and were gathering behind her to see her summon the dragon. Alex was beside herself with excitement. She knew this was going to blow her parents’ minds.

Alex stepped into the clearing outside the village and turned back to her parents. “Don’t freak out when you see this, all right?” she cautioned.

Liza folded her arms and nodded, her face smug and bemused. “We aren’t going to freak out,” Liza assured her daughter. “We aren’t that old.”

“Okay, I’ll hold you to that.”

Alex raised her right hand, and her Dragon Link glowed brightly. From above came the familiar roar that shook the roofs of the homes and buildings surrounding them. Liza and George threw themselves to the ground when they heard it.

“What the hell is that?” George shouted.

Alex smiled as she watched her dragon break through the clouds and race toward her. “That,” Alex told them, pausing for effect, “is our ride.”

The ether dragon hit the ground hard enough to shake the earth around it, gouging out a large crater. It spewed fire as it roared. The townsfolk went crazy, shouting and cheering with excitement when the dragon lowered its head and Alex leaped onto its back.

She anchored herself to the dragon and guided it toward her parents. They had gotten up but backed away as the dragon got closer. “Come on,” Alex coaxed. “It’s time for you two to see what I spend all my time doing.”

The dragon put its head down so Liza and George could climb on. George went first, hands trembling as he reached out for his daughter’s. He helped Liza get aboard once he was settled.

Alex waved her hand over both of her parents to anchor their feet to the dragon. “All right,” Alex explained, “you’re both going to need to relax. You can’t fall, no matter what. Doesn’t matter how fast we’re going or if we turn upside-down. Just enjoy the ride, okay?”

Liza frantically looked from her daughter to George, and then at the sky. “Wait, you’re not telling me you’re planning on taking us up there, are you?” she yelped.

“Like I said, you two are going to need to relax.”

Alex tightened the reins, and the dragon responded to her command. It spread its mighty wings and flapped them, slowly rising into the air. Usually, Alex would have just rocketed into the sky, but she wanted to give her parents a little space to catch their breath.

She was glad she did because Liza and George were practically screaming as the dragon rose higher and higher. Either way, they’re going to freak out, Alex thought. Might as well give them something to scream about.

Alex pulled back on her Dragon Link and her ether dragon shot up into the sky so fast it brought tears to Alex’s eyes. The screams of her parents grew louder and louder, until finally they burst through the first layer of clouds.

The dragon slowed, almost floating in the air.

The sun filtered through the clouds, painting everything in a golden hue. From here, it was smooth sailing. The dragon soared above the village beneath them. “This,” Alex said, “this is what I spend all of my time doing. But this? This isn’t nothing.”

Alex leaned forward, and the ether dragon sped up like a shooting star. They were headed east. There was something Alex wanted to show her parents—her favorite place. She’d never shared it with anyone else in Middang3ard.

Alex wasn’t even sure other players knew about it. This area of the map was hardly ever explored since there were so many high-level monsters on the ground. But Dragonriders? They could go anywhere.

They flew in silence for some time. Liza and George had finally relaxed and were watching the clouds pass. They were beyond words. Alex knew how they felt; it had been the same for her.

Alex could never sum up how it felt to stare down at the world of Middang3ard and see how small and fragile everything was. She didn’t think she would ever get tired of it.

Finally, they came up on what Alex wanted to show them. It was a mountain, nearly as large as the one during the final expansion raid. Its peak was covered in snow.

Alex leaned forward to coax the dragon ahead. A few minutes later, they were at the top of the mountain. She guided her dragon to a landing area and leaped off before telling her parents they could do the same.

The Bounds walked across the snow-covered ground. Alex went to the edge of the mountain and sat down, dangling her feet over. Liza sat down next to her, while George stood behind them. “So, this is what you want to protect?” Liza asked.

Alex didn’t say anything at first. It was more than a want. “This is what I have to protect,” she finally replied.

A voice came from behind them. “What do you think of Middang3ard?”

Liza and George turned and were greeted by another holograph of Myrddin. Liza looked down at the sweeping green plains, the villages, and all the people not even visible from this height.

Above them, youngling dragons were playing with each other and dancing in the sunlight. “It’s beautiful,” Liza admitted. “And it’s real?”

“Just as real and fragile as Earth.”

Liza sat back down at Alex’s side. “Honey, what do you want to do?” she asked.

“You mean it?” Alex replied.

Her mother took a long moment before finally nodding, wiping away her tears. “There’s nothing I can say to stop you.”

“It’s the right thing to do.”

Liza nodded, gulping back more tears. “This is your decision, not ours. Not mine. Whatever you decide, we’ll support you.”

Alex watched the dragons dancing above as she leaned back in the snow so she could feel the cold creep up the back of her neck. “I want to be able to talk to them every day, no matter what. Anytime I want to.”

Myrddin came over and took a seat next to the Bounds. “Of course,” Myrddin offered. “Unlimited communication is the least we can do for our champions.”

Alex’s face lit up with a smile as she turned to face Myrddin.

“Awesome. When do we leave?”

Author Notes Ramy Vance

December 21, 2019

It’s Christmas, people… and here in the Vance household we have a tradition... we sing ‘Hi John’.

Sure we also sing Christmas carols, carve turkey and wear sweat pants, but it wouldn’t be Christmas without ‘Hi John’. 

John (my four year old at the time of this publication) was born 5 weeks early in one of the most harrowing 20 minutes of my life. My wife had developed a condition called H.E.L.L.P. (ironic name, I know). It is incredibly dangerous for the mother and she needed to have an emergency cesarean. 

Over the next 6 days, I spend my time divided between the post-natal ward with John and the ‘blood ward’ (my name for the place) where my wife was being treated.

So here I was, alone with a new born that I had no idea what to do with. Hell, I didn’t even know any nursery rhymes or songs. My wife knew them all, but she was in another ward, completely out of it. 

John would cry and I wouldn’t know what to do (even writing this induces the water-works… hold yourself Ramy! You’re in a very crowded cafe. Stiff upper lip. Stiff upper lip!) 

Eventually I did the only thing I could think of … I made a song up. Now if you’ve ever met me, you’ll know that I have zero musical talent. Seriously. I mean, I’ve heard about the ‘beat’. People have told me it exists, but I’ve never experienced it for myself. 

And the little diddy I made up for my son reflects that… Here are the lyrics: 

Hi John, how are you? 

How are you, today? 

I love John so much,

I love him more than play…

Hi, John, how are you?

What shall we do today?

Rudimentary, right? But here’s the weird thing. My son would stop crying as soon as I sang: I love him more than play...

When he heard those words, he’s go silent.

Every. Single. Time. 

In the coming years, I have convinced people I know to professionally record the song. I got country-and-western singer named Steve Rivers to do it, a Norweigen Rock Band and a Hip Hop Producer, too. (If you’d like to check out the various versions of the song, they’re all in my Facebook Group: House of the GoneGod Damned. Click HERE to join. I’ll be sharing a post about the song on Chrismas Day, 2019.)

And so now, several different versions of ‘Hi John’ later, a new Christmas tradition is born. 

A song for John, the kid I truly love more than anything, even play...

Author Notes Michael Anderle

December 21, 2019

Thank you for reading our story! Because of you readers, we get to do what we love…create more stories!

“Blind? We are going to do a blind hero? AND you want to…”

You know, I don’t really remember the exact way Ramy and I worked out this story.

Not without going back through our notes, where we chatted back and forth, but I am very happy with this first book. In it, we lay out the challenges of our protagonist and how she has to overcome her preconceptions about herself.

And she’s then unleashed into her future.

The more I learn about my own disability (I’m a bit on the spectrum), I realize that had I known more about it earlier in my life, I might have sought out ways to overcome the challenges. However, I am completely happy with the unexpected benefits.

Yes, I am challenged at times working with other people because I fail to communicate well. I’ve had issues talking to everyone from my older brothers to workmates because my brain fails to put into words all of my thoughts in a cohesive discourse.

When I see nothing but confusion on the faces of those I’m speaking to, I know I have once again left out a few salient points.

But unleash me with a laptop, and the challenges I have talking to others go away. I can’t explain a story while chatting at the table, but I can weave a tale with a typewriter.

For all the challenges which often cause failure when speaking, I’m provided benefits when I type. What I would have sacrificed to “fix” earlier in my life, I wouldn’t give a dime to change now. What felt like a curse, I now count as a blessing.

May you find how what you feel is a curse might become a blessing to you as well.

Ad Aeternitatem,

Michael Anderle

Ascent to the Nest

Dragon Approved™ Book Two

Chapter One

Alex sat on her porch and listened to the passing cars. The streets were fairly empty for the middle of the day. She could hear her parents moving around nervously near the front door. Today was the day.

It had been nearly a week since Alex had finished the Middang3ard expansion and spoken with Myrddin and Manny. Part of her still thought the whole thing had been a dream, but after getting ready to leave this morning, she knew she was wide awake.

George and Liza opened the front door and stepped outside. Myrddin had left without restoring her sight. He said it would happen after he prepared the necessary magic, but Alex wished she could see their faces one last time before she left. She would probably be able to see them when Manny arrived, but it would be with someone watching. It was already hard enough to show them how she felt.

Liza sat down next to Alex and rested her hand on her daughter’s knee. “Guess you’re heading out a lot sooner than we thought you would.”

Alex smiled and nodded as she squeezed her mom’s hand. “You know, I’m kinda scared. Actually, ‘scared’ isn’t the right word. I’m terrified. I have no idea what this will be like.”

George took a seat on the opposite side of Alex and lightly punched her shoulder. “You got this, kiddo. It can’t be any worse than what you’ve already come across in the game. And besides, Myrddin said you’re one of the best he’s ever seen. He wouldn’t want to risk you.”

“It’s not that. I’m not scared of any of that. Myrddin mentioned something like a boot camp when he emailed me. He made it sound like, I don’t know, like a school or something.”

Liza chuckled as she squeezed Alex’s hand again. It was a habit she’d had since Alex was a small child, and it always made her feel like a baby. Sometimes Alex hated it, and other times, it was the most comforting thing in the world. “You afraid of finally having to go to school?” Liza asked.

Alex leaned back and turned her face to the sun, which felt amazing. “What if everyone has a problem with me?” Alex asked. “Or I don’t make any friends? What if I end up being shyer than Kevin is?”

“Honey, no one could be as shy as Kevin is. That boy is hardly able to string two sentences together. But hey, even you said he’s pretty popular in Middang3ard, so there’s hope for everyone.”

Alex folded her arms. She felt her face pouting and wished she was doing a better job of hiding her emotions. “I don’t understand why I have to relearn everything. Myrddin said I’m one of the best that they have. What else do I have to learn?”

George stood up and cleared his throat. Alex felt like he was going to turn on “Dad Mode.” It was that specific noise he used, the one that was more of a cough than an act. “You know, that might not be the best attitude to have, kiddo,” George started. “You might want to try some humility. Just a little bit.”

“I know. I know. I’m just… I just don’t want to have to meet other kids, okay? It’s always so uncomfortable for me. I never know what to say or who to talk to, or if I’m even allowed to talk to anyone. It’d be easier if I could just learn on my own.”

“That’s just because you’re used to learning on your own. That doesn’t mean it’s the best way to do it. Besides, did you pick up all your dragonriding skills on your own, or did you get help from other players?”

Alex turned away from her father’s voice. He was right, but that didn’t mean she wanted to give him the satisfaction of admitting it, even though he knew already. He knew her better than anyone.

Alex heard her mother stand. “Looks like your ride is here.”

Alex listened to a car roll up their driveway. It was nearly silent, so it must have been a newer model. It had to be Myrddin or Manny if her parents recognized it.

Alex reached for her mom’s arm, not that she needed help to get to the car. She just wanted to feel her mother close by.

Liza and George guided Alex to the driveway as her hands trembled. She hadn’t admitted to them how frightened she was of leaving. It wasn’t just the prospect of being at war with the Dark One or having to learn completely new things. She was afraid of leaving her parents.

Her home had been her entire life before she found Middang3ard. There wasn’t anyone she loved or trusted as much as her parents. Now that she thought about it, she’d rarely left the house for more than a week. The longest she’d ever been gone was on a trip with her debate team.

Manny’s voice broke Alex’s anxious train of thought. “Good to see that you are up and ready to go. Also glad to see you got the part about not packing anything since everything you need will be provided.”

“What about friends?” Alex grumbled.

Manny harrumphed at Alex’s statement. “I believe that part is up to you,” the Beholder retorted snidely. “There’s only so much we can offer, but I assure you that everyone in your class is about the same age. You’ll at least be around peers.”

George placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder, and she instantly felt better. “How old are your dragonriders?”

“Alex would be one of our younger riders. Most were recruited at about the same age, but our oldest? I don’t believe we have anyone over the age of...” Manny’s voice trailed off before he finished. The abrupt stop meant he didn’t want to complete his sentence.

Given the topic, he didn’t need to. Dragonriders didn’t get very old since most died in battle.

Great, Alex thought. Just great. Dead girl walking here.

There was an awkward silence as all four tried to figure out what should be said next. Alex already knew what time it was. This was the part where she was supposed to say goodbye. This was the part where she was supposed to leave behind everything she’d ever known.

This was the part where she was supposed to begin her adventure.

If there was ever a time for her to be brave, this was it. They’re probably freaking out right now, Alex thought, trying to imagine what her parents must be feeling.

Alex turned to Liza and threw her arms around her. She kissed her cheek and felt the damp tears running down her mother’s face. Then she turned to her father and hugged him as well. “I should get going,” she said. “I’ll message you guys as soon as I get a chance. I love you.”

Alex pulled out her foldable cane and opened it. She tapped it on the ground and turned in the direction of the car. Manny floated next to her. “You know, I can help you see—”

“Not now,” Alex interrupted. “When we leave, okay?”

“As you wish.”

Alex tapped the cane against the car and felt around until she found the door handle. She opened it and slipped inside. As she listened to the engine turn over and Manny breathe uncomfortably at her side, she’d never been happier she couldn’t see. Watching her parents would have broken her heart.

Listening to them was hard enough.

Chapter Two

Alex felt the car moving and assumed they were on the highway since they hadn’t stopped for some time. Manny had asked a couple of times if Alex wanted him to lend her his vision, but she’d declined.

It was fairly obvious to him that Alex didn’t want to talk. She’d cracked her window and was letting the cold air hit her like a hard slap across the face.

After an hour or two, the car stopped. Alex grabbed her cane, opened the door, and stepped out. She felt around for a few seconds before deciding she didn’t want to start off without directions. “Manny, where are we?”

Manny, floating beside Alex, coughed quietly. “We’ve gone as far as the car can take us. The rest of the ride is by plane.”

Alex’s heart jumped into her throat. She’d never been on a plane before. Neither of her parents made enough money to travel for fun. A couple of times, Liza or George had left town for a few days, but they’d never taken Alex with them.

It wasn’t a point Alex liked to bring up. Her lack of travel was a sore spot between her and her folks. She had a sneaking suspicion they could afford to take her but were afraid of how her sight might impact the trip.

Alex knew she was being paranoid. There had never been a situation where Alex’s parents discouraged her from doing something because she was blind. She was just looking for excuses to be bitter.

Funny how your first feeling after leaving home is bitterness, she chastised herself.

She shifted her weight from foot to foot and tried to find the right words for what she wanted to say. She’d never been good at asking for help, not even from her parents. Asking for assistance from a floating demon-head full of eyeballs wasn’t the easiest thing in the world for her.

Luckily, Manny spoke first. “Uh, is there something you need?”

“Could you guide me in the direction of the plane?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to use my eyes?”

“All right, I guess it’s about time. Lend me your peepers, fellow countryman!” She tried to say jokingly, but her excitement at seeing again, even if it was through his eyes, broke through.

There was a flash of bright green light, and Alex nearly stumbled from the shock. She still wasn’t used to that part, but there it was: the world right in front of her eyes. Granted, it was still tinted with the odd green color she recognized from the game, but she could see.

Alex looked around at the small private airport. She’d read about how rich people could afford their own planes and assumed Myrddin wasn’t any different. He was one of the richest people in the world, after all. People that rich didn’t have time to wait at airports.

And now, neither do I, Alex thought. Guess this must be a big deal.

Alex pointed at the slim airplane a couple hundred feet in front of her. “Is that the one we’re going to take?” she asked, trying to make sure her voice was even and not too excited. For some reason, she didn’t want Manny to realize she’d never been on a plane.

Manny floated ahead, flanked by the car’s driver. “Yep, that’s the one,” the Beholder said. “Myrddin sent his fastest plane for you. He’s very anxious to get you started on your training. He says it’s imperative. You were my most important recruit all week. Jeez, I was losing sleep over you.”

Alex laughed as she tried to keep up with him. For a creature with no legs, he sure as hell moved quickly. “Why were you so worried about me?” she asked.

“Myrddin was stressing me out. He kept going on and on about how I was going to lose an eye if I messed this up and terrified your parents, as if he’d forgotten how easily humans spook. Come on, we just go up the stairs.”

Manny floated up the plane’s staircase. Alex held her breath as she took her first step. She hadn’t realized her trip to Middang3ard was going to provide so many different experiences.

The inside of the plane was decorated modestly but still managed to be luxurious. There were few seats—six at most. Each had a table, and there was a hefty amount of space between them. There was another table built into the wall, and it was set with snacks and fresh fruit.

A television hung above the counter. Alex gravitated toward it, still trying to hide her growing excitement. She chose the seat directly in front of the television and buckled her seatbelt. “We have to wear these, right?” she asked.

Manny laughed as he floated into the seat across from Alex. “I think wearing a seatbelt while flying thousands of miles in the sky is a pale excuse for safety,” Manny joked. “But whatever helps you feel comfortable.”

Alex smiled and looked at Manny as she reclined in her seat and tried to find the remote. “I’m not afraid of heights. I mean, it can’t feel any worse than VR, can it?”

Manny’s eyes all blinked at once, causing Alex’s vision to black out for a second. So, she really was seeing through his eyes. “Uh, we’re allowed to watch TV on the flight, right?” she asked.

Manny was reading a dossier on his table and looked up with one of his spare eyes. “Huh? Yes, of course,” he answered. “I think it only gets elvish channels, though. It’s mostly news. I don’t think the elves grasp the medium’s potential for entertainment, although their books are spellbinding enough. Fair warning—the news of late is a little depressing, to say the least.”

“Where’s the remote?”

“Oh, there isn’t one. It’s magical. You just imagine it on, and there you go.”

Manny’s eye turned back to whatever he was reading, and Alex turned her attention to the television. She concentrated on turning it on, and a blip appeared. The blip slowly blossomed into an image on the screen. Alex wanted to squeal.

This was the first time she’d ever watched TV.

The image was of a thin man walking through a forest while talking to himself. There were words written on the bottom of the screen. Even though Alex didn’t know what the English alphabet looked like, she knew that what she was seeing on the screen wasn’t English or even human.

It was an easy conclusion since the thin man on the screen was anything but human. He looked vaguely like one of the elves from Middang3ard, but somehow, even through the television, he seemed more real. His skin was thin, almost see-through, yet he didn’t look frail.

The elf’s body looked wiry and strong. He didn’t look like he was having a hard time making the hike through the woods. Alex turned to Manny. “Is this the news?” she asked.

One of Manny’s eyes flipped up, and he looked at the television. “This? Yep, this is the news.”

“It’s just someone walking through the woods.” Alex had never watched the news before, but she’d listened to it enough with her parents to know it was nothing like this. Usually, someone would explain a story.

“Elvish news is very different from human news. For one, elves don’t like being lectured. It doesn’t matter by who. So they’ve come across a more ‘pleasant’ way to deliver information to each other—soothing visuals with the news running at the bottom.”

Alex unbuckled, then stood from her seat and walked to the television. She couldn’t see much of the color of the forest. She was limited by Manny’s color spectrum and the planes of vision in which he saw. But she could see that the forests were massive, sprawling things she’d never seen the like of in Middang3ard. “There’s nothing like this in the game,” she said.

“That’s because the game is based on human ideas of what fantasy realms look like. In reality, each realm is much different than the next. The dwarven mines are nothing like a human could ever conceive. Not because you lack imagination, mind you, but because the dwarves are very different from any other race. And don’t even get me started on gnomes. Those guys are insane.”

Alex felt a rumbling from the plane. She turned her attention from the television to the window next to hers. As she walked back to her seat, she saw they were moving. Was this what her parents experienced every time they flew? This sense of adventure?

The plane rolled down the tarmac, gaining speed until its wheels lifted slowly and broke her concept of gravity. As their speed increased, the aircraft took off.

She watched all this from her window, her eyes wide as she tried to take it all in. The airport beneath her became smaller as the plane rose, and it reminded her of being on her dragon in VR. The world around her was disappearing, leaving only the sky.

The white clouds—Manny could see white—rested playfully beside the plane as they sped toward a destination that Alex was all right not knowing. This was part of the adventure. Everything was a mystery right now, one she couldn’t really believe was happening.

Alex pulled herself away from the beautiful vista of the sun breaking through the clouds thousands of miles above the sea. How fast is this thing moving? she thought. There wasn’t an ocean anywhere close to where she lived. “Manny, is this plane magical too?” she asked.

Manny didn’t bother looking up. He was deeply engrossed in his work. “Hm? Oh, yes,” he responded. “It was enchanted by Myrddin. Sometimes we have to abide by human laws and so forth. Airspace regulations, things like that. All of it’s ridiculous, but Myrddin does have a taste for fast toys and, well, you can see what I mean. Also, we are always kind of in a rush.”

“Am I going to get to see any of the other realms? Like the dwarf realm?”

“Who knows. Most of our MERCs are in Middang3ard. It’s something of a neutral space for the different races. Some don’t like humans in their realm; they aren’t as trusting. For a long time, the elves thought we were making the whole situation up. That humans were, at least.”

“Don’t elves trust others?”

“No, nothing like that. The threat of the Dark One was just too much for most to wrap their heads around. They wanted to pretend it didn’t exist. Myrddin had to seed all of human literature with the idea of other realms, and also meet with nearly every world leader to convince them to let him launch his plan.”

“What was his plan?”

“Well, you’re part of it. You’ll find out the details later. Until then, maybe take a nap. It’s a long ride, and you’re going to have a very long day ahead of you once you get there.”

Alex thought Manny was more concerned about taking care of his work than helping her understand what she was getting involved with. That didn’t matter though. She was ready for whatever surprises came her way.

* * *

Alex did not remember falling asleep, but she woke up with a start. She looked around the plane, uncertain if all of this was a dream. When she heard Manny snoring loudly, she knew it was real. Even sleeping, several of his eyes remained open, which was how she could still see. She knew she couldn’t have dreamt up such an odd scene.

The pilot, who had also been their driver, exited the cockpit. He was a young man with a very square jaw and cold eyes. He motioned toward a plate of food in front of Alex. The meal was a regal porterhouse steak and a smattering of lackluster vegetables. “We’ve landed. Please, you should eat,” he said.

Alex realized she’d never seen the meals her parents cooked her, only tasted their delicacies. She poked the steak with her fork, surprised at how squishy it was. “I’m not really all that hungry,” she replied.

“It’s for the trip. Myrddin would prefer it if you didn’t do any realm-jumping without a proper meal. People tend to get sick.”

“We’re going to another realm?”

“Of course. There aren’t dragons on Earth, are there? So, eat up. We’re a little early.”

The pilot walked back into the cockpit as Manny started to stir. When Manny’s other eyes opened, he leaned over his table and began devouring a bowl of unidentifiable slop. Alex had no idea what it was and didn’t want to find out.

Alex cut into her steak and took a bite. It was mouthwatering, a steak her father would have appreciated and lamented that he had not cooked himself. For the second time that day, Alex wished her parents were here appreciating this with her.

Even if her parents weren’t there physically, it didn’t mean they had to be kept in the dark about everything. Alex pulled out her phone, rearranged her food a little bit, and snapped a picture. Then she sent it to her parents with a message that said, First things first. Food on plane is amazing.

When Alex was done eating, surprised she had managed to get the whole steak down, the pilot came out and straightened his tie as he stood awkwardly. “All done?” he asked.

“One of the best steaks I’ve ever had. Not as good as my dad’s, but still pretty good.”

“Fantastic. Manny, are you ready to leave?”

Manny grumbled as he floated up from his seat, the odd porridge still dripping down his face. His tongue slipped out of his mouth and lapped up the food. Alex turned away to be respectful but also to keep from being grossed out. “Let’s get going,” he exclaimed.

The pilot opened the door of the plane and hit a button that caused stairs to stretch toward the ground. He led the way as they descended to the tarmac.

Once Alex was on the ground, she was able to get a better look at where she was. It was nearly night, and the light of dusk illuminated a massive facility. It reminded Alex of something she’d read about in a science fiction novel. The large white structure covered in windows seemed to glare at her with its lights.

Alex pointed toward the sprawling building. “What is this place?”

The pilot started off briskly, and Manny floated behind them. “This is the boring part of a very interesting bit of human ingenuity, mostly offices. What we’re looking for is actually under the building, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise.”

The three of them stopped at a gate where armed guards waited. They nodded at Manny as the pilot pulled out a badge. The guards took the badge, looked at it, and handed it back. “And this is the little protégé?” the guard asked.

Alex puffed out her chest and stood as straight as she could. “I’m not little,” she retorted.

“Sorry, ma’am. Didn’t mean anything by it.”

The guards opened the gates, and the trio walked through. There was another guard on the other side, waiting for them in a large golf cart. They climbed in and headed toward the building. Once they stopped, guards exited to guide Alex and the rest to the door.

As they passed through the foyer of the building and were guided to an elevator, Alex couldn’t help looking. It was surprisingly empty, almost as if it had only been set up to look like a building on the outside.

In the elevator, Manny whistled absentmindedly as they descended. There were no floors on the display, yet the elevator continued to drop rapidly. Alex had the feeling that gravity ceased to exist for a few minutes, almost like she was in freefall.

The elevator came to an abrupt stop. It was so unexpected that Alex had to keep herself from falling. Manny snickered. “Sorry, I thought dragonriders had better balance.”

Alex held onto the side of the elevator as its door whooshed open. “I’m not on top of a dragon,” she retorted. “And even then, laughing is still pretty rude.”

The guards didn’t pay attention to Alex’s and Manny’s bickering as they gestured for the two to step out. Alex did as she was told and surveyed her new surroundings.

The room was massive, as if the entire area under the building had been excavated. Scientists wearing white coats shuffled around them while holding clipboards and talking hurriedly with each other. None of them seemed to notice Manny or Alex. There were no fantastical creatures that Alex could see.

Manny floated forward, with Alex trailing. They were heading toward something that was humming loudly. Alex felt like the sound was coming from inside her skull. They walked up a flight of stairs, and a few scientists moved past them. One smiled and nodded to Manny.

At the top of the steps, Alex could see why so much of the earth had been excavated. What sat in the middle of the underground research facility was nothing Alex could identify.

A long steel tube nearly thirty feet across and easily fifty feet from top to bottom stretched across the expanse. It was covered in wires and cables and ended in the middle of the facility, where something like a platform sat beneath it.

On the opposite side of the room was another metallic tube. This one was not as large, but it stretched out nearly as far and joined the other tube at the platform. The platform was small, about enough space for two people to stand on, and it had rails on all sides.

Manny continued to make his way forward while Alex stopped to watch the scientists going about their jobs. “Come on. We’re kind of on a tight schedule,” Manny said as one of his eyes flipped back to watch her.

Alex jogged to catch up. “Sorry, sorry,” she apologized. “What is this thing?”

Manny descended the stairs in front of him. He took his place on top of the platform, and then, with one eye, he motioned for Alex to stand beside him. “This is the Hadron Collider,” Manny explained.

“The Hadron Collider?”

“Yes, Myrddin had it built years ago by the Swiss.” Several of Manny’s eyes winked at once. “Usually, we use magic to move people from Earth to Middang3ard, but the process is complicated. Not to get too technical, but it involves binding with familiars or other creatures of magic and all other sorts of other nonsense. Since dragonriders don’t have familiars, we had to figure out another way to transport people back and forth.”

Alex had come across the Hadron Collider in her recent research. It sounded too unbelievable to be true, but she’d studied it simply to sate her curiosity. She’d heard the Collider had shut down and might have created an alternate reality. “Was that true?”

Manny watched as a few scientists approached them. “Was what true?”

“About the Collider creating an alternate reality. It was all in the Middang3ard chatter and stuff.”

“To a certain extent. The Collider didn’t create an alternate reality, it merely connected our realm to another. We had to come up with a press release. Too many people started asking why we were using up so much of Switzerland’s power.”

Manny laughed as one of the scientists came up onto the platform. “We’re going to need you two to hold onto the rails,” the scientist explained. “Once we start the Collider, there are going to be a lot of atoms coming at you very fast. We don’t want you getting blown off when the portal opens.”

“Is this a good idea? Getting hit by atoms?”

“Normally, no,” Manny called over the hum. “But when they’re magically enhanced atoms…”

Alex’s mind was racing. They were going to open a portal between two different realms, which seemed impossible. But here she was, standing next to a Beholder, seeing for the second time through his eyes. Maybe the CERN reactor being a link between realms wasn’t that farfetched.

The scientist walked over to a computer and checked a few readings. “All right, are you two ready?” he asked.

Manny sighed and wiped his face with one of his eye tentacles. “As ready as I can be,” he grumbled before turning to Alex. “You’re going to want to hold on tight for this.”

Alex inclined her head toward the scientist. “I’m ready,” she replied.

The man pushed his glasses up and nodded. “All right, y’all better hold onto your butts,” he said before turning back to the computer.

Alex couldn’t see anything happening, but she could feel it. The air around her was getting warm. The Hadron Collider started to make an odd churning noise as they turned on what she thought was the electromagnetic field she’d read about.

A sensation like gravity ceasing hit her, but stronger than when they had been in the elevator. Around her, things were beginning to blur. She realized it was because she was spinning faster than she ever had before.

There was a loud rip like paper being torn, and Alex felt the platform jerk as the world around her melted into darkness. After a moment, the black was peppered with bright lights—stars in the distance rushing toward her.

The platform continued to spin, and Alex held on with all her might as her body was pulled back and forth. Suddenly the spinning stopped, and everything went still.

Alex glanced around, but she was still too disoriented to make sense of anything.

Beside her, she heard Manny puking. “I hate that part,” he finally managed to mutter.

“Where are we?” Alex asked.

“The Wasp’s Nest.”

Blinding lights came on.

Chapter Three

A voice spoke, rich and smooth like velvet. Alex felt like the sound was melting into her ears. “I’m glad to see you made it on time.”

All at once, Alex’s vision, or more specifically, Manny’s vision, came rushing back to her. She was in a field with greenery nearly as high as her knees. The stars shone overhead, and there was a strong, chilly breeze rustling the grass.

Alex jumped back when she saw a griffin standing in front of her. She nearly screamed before her eyes widened with a level of awe she hadn’t known she was capable of feeling.

The creature had broad, deep-brown wings that stretched nearly ten feet. Its towering lion’s body was covered with majestic golden fur that seemed to catch what little light was cast by the moon.

The griffin bowed so deeply that its eagle’s head almost touched the ground. When it rose, it looked as if its beak were turned up in a smile. “You must be Alex,” the griffin said. “My name is Samara. I’m pleased to meet you.”

Alex held her hand out from habit, and the griffin looked curiously at her. “Uh, I’m Alex. I’m pleased to meet you as well. Um, where are we?”

“Outside the Wasp Nest. It’s complicated to teleport into an enclosed space, but we aren’t far. Manny, will you be coming as well?”

Manny had stopped floating and was lying on the ground. He still looked very sick. Most of his eyes were half-closed as he moaned loudly. “I’ll be coming,” he groaned. “Just give me a minute. I think I’m going to be sick again.”

“You should probably get up if that’s the case. I’d hate to see how that turns out if you’re lying down.”

“Right, right,” Manny said as he righted himself and floated back into the air, still trembling. He looked like he could puke at any moment, and he burped loudly. “Just give me a sec.”

Samara turned her head toward the sky, her beak still casting the illusion of a smile. “The wind is beautiful tonight, isn’t it?” she asked. “It’s been so warm here that I didn’t think we were ever going to get a nice, breezy night. Perfect night to stretch my wings. I’m glad you both came.”

Alex hadn’t been able to take her eyes off Samara’s wings. As she spoke, the griffin stretched and flexed them in the same way some people gesture with their hands when they talk. It was elegant and transfixing; Alex felt as if the griffin were telling a story with each flourish of her feathered appendages.

Samara ruffled her feathers as she knelt and turned her right wing to Alex. “While Manny is getting his bearings, why not hop on?”

Alex’s heart had jumped into her throat. Was she already heading to the air, even before she got to ride a dragon? This was the best decision she’d ever made. “You mean, we’re going to fly?” she asked.

“Oh, goodness, no, little one. I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t get your hopes up. I don’t take humans into the air, especially humans who still have to go through their training. I mean no disrespect. You were no doubt an amazing rider in Middang3ard VR; otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”

“So, how come you don’t let humans ride you?”

“Well, just not any human. Riding a griffin takes a purity of heart that the average human doesn’t have, at least when we’re in the air, but you will get to ride on my back for a quick sprint. I warn you, though; I refuse to have reins placed on me. You’re going to have to hold on very tight. Climb aboard and let’s get going.”

Alex was disappointed and instantly felt silly about it. She was about to ride a griffin to her new dragonriding training program, and she was feeling slighted by not being able to ride the griffin into the sky? Now that’s being childish, Alex thought.

Alex climbed onto the griffin, using its wing as a ladder, trying not to hold onto it too tightly or pull out any feathers. The griffin chuckled as it watched Alex struggle to get aboard. It was a wholesome laugh that reminded her of her father’s.

Already, Alex could tell the difference between VR and the real Middang3ard, if that was in fact where she was. Hardly any of the dragons or magical creatures in-game ever spoke, and those that did lacked the personality of Samara. Alex hadn’t even thought about the fact that she was talking to a living, breathing creature. It just seemed natural that Samara would speak.

Once Alex and Manny were both on Samara’s back, the griffin took off. Alex wracked her brain to try to understand how Manny was holding on without legs or feet but she grabbed Samara’s fur as tight as she could.

Samara bounded through the darkness. She was faster than anything Alex had ever ridden, in-game or out. When Alex was younger, her parents had taken her to an amusement park. She couldn’t get enough of the rollercoasters, and she hadn’t thought she’d ever ride anything that fast again in her life.

Alex was wrong. She was barely able to maintain her grip as the wind beat against her face and pulled tears from her eyes that she tried to beat back by blinking. When she looked at Manny, she could see several of his eyes were closed, and he still looked sick to his stomach.

Up ahead, there were thousands of lights. Their destination looked like it had a landing pad. There were crystal structures that reflected and refracted the lights, so it appeared as if there were solid rainbows coming out of the ground.

The buildings ahead reached toward the night sky, stretching and curving as if they were made of water. It was the most beautiful thing Alex had ever seen. If she strained her eyes, she thought she could see people walking through different parts of the crystals.

The closer they got to the Wasp’s Nest, the more details she could make out. There were crystal bridges between many of the columns. She couldn’t quite see through the building, but she could see shadows moving around in the rainbow structure.

Samara ran up to a bridge that stretched over a crystal-clear moat. The water smelled divine, and Alex wished she could have slipped in for a swim. There was a chilly breeze, sure, but Alex had always been a fan of cold night-swims.

Past the bridge, Samara stopped at the gates of the Wasp’s Nest. There was something regal about the way they stretched up, almost like a drawbridge. Alex felt like she was walking into a medieval play of some sort, a heroine atop her magical griffin.

There were two guards at the gate and seeing them completely pulled Alex out of the medieval fantasy. Each was human and heavily armored. Their vests looked like Kevlar, and their helmets had holographic visors.

Rifles were slung over their shoulders. They were not the sort Alex had heard described before. These reminded her of something out of a science fiction movie. Tubes and wiring were incorporated along the rifles’ steel barrels and synthetic grips.

One of the guards lowered his gun when he saw Samara. The other didn’t bother but grew noticeably more relaxed. “Oh, it’s just you,” the first guard said. “I didn’t know you were going out for the night.”

Samara spread her wings and leaned slightly to the side, so one of her wings touched the ground. Alex took this as a sign that she was supposed to get off Samara’s back. “I was picking up our latest resident, the new human dragonrider.” The way Samara said “human” revealed to Alex that her species was what was causing the stir, not that she was a great VR rider.

The guard on the left stood up a little straighter and pushed his visor up. He peered at Alex with steely blue eyes. “A human. We must be desperate if we’re recruiting humans.”

“Nothing of the sort. Myrddin has merely been trying to add to the roster. We can’t be overprepared for the Dark One. Underestimating him might be what causes us to lose this war, and we’ve already lost so much.”

The guard nodded as he reached toward the gate. The crystals in front of him contorted and stretched to form a panel. He typed in a code, and the panel dissolved back into the wall. The double gates of the Wasp’s Nest opened, and a nearly blinding light shot out.

Samara led the way and Alex followed, trying not to stare at the armed guards. She’d been expecting something a little more like the game Middang3ard, not a military thriller.

What she saw once she was inside the Wasp’s Nest was even more surprising.

The gates opened into what at first looked like a lobby. Upon closer inspection, it seemed the room was some kind of information hub. The walls were sweeping Victorian architecture, with crystal columns stretching to the domed ceiling

People were walking through the large room, hardly noticing each other. Everyone seemed extremely busy. I wonder what’s going on? Alex thought.

As Alex watched the people and sped up to catch Samara, she noticed almost no one around them was human. Most were elves, but there were also dwarves she wanted to stop and stare at. It was almost impossible to tell the male dwarves from the females. Both had ludicrously long and thick beards, and all wore heavy leather studded armor that contrasted with the sweeping robes of the elves.

Alex looked around, letting her eyes drink in everything they could. Samara stopped and looked back at Alex, smiling with her eyes. “First time seeing anything other than a human, right?” the griffin asked.

Alex turned back to the griffin, hardly able to contain the joy on her face. “Yeah, no kidding!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know…I didn’t know there were so many of them!”

“I would have thought you would have been more surprised to see a majestic griffin than an elf or a dwarf. I am, in fact, a beast of legend.”

Alex was preparing to apologize until she saw that Samara was still smiling. It had been a joke, but that didn’t mean Alex couldn’t explain herself. “I was surprised when I saw you,” Alex began. “But you’re so different from everything else. I almost can’t believe you’re real.”

Samara winked at Alex. “Flattery will get you nowhere,” she said as she turned away. “Come. We don’t want to keep Myrddin waiting. He wanted to speak to you in person after you arrived.”

“Is Myrddin always here?”

“No, rarely, actually. Most of his talents are useful in other places. I and a handful of others run the Wasp’s Nest. It would be a mistake to expect Myrddin to be here. There is too much for him to do; too much for all of us to do.”

Samara guided Alex and Manny through the throng of elves, dwarves, and halflings walking around the crystal lobby. They passed a desk where a beautiful elvish woman with long, flowing silver hair was helping a disgruntled gnome who was standing on the desk, gesticulating wildly.

Alex was glad to see people behaved ridiculously, regardless of their races. She continued to follow Samara through the throng, and they paid her no attention despite her open-mouthed gawking.

Samara turned left at the end of the room, and a crystal hallway seemed to appear out of nowhere. As Alex walked, she looked at the ceiling. Even though she was still seeing through Manny’s eyes and there wasn’t much color, she could make out different hues shimmering above.

If there was anything like walking through a rainbow, this was it.

As they continued down the hall, Alex noticed there were doors on either side of her. She couldn’t see through any of the crystal doors, but she could see shadows and figures moving behind them. It gave the impression that the Wasp’s Nest was alive.

She understood where they’d gotten the name since the whole place felt like a giant hive. She shuddered, thinking of the mountain hive she’d braved in Middang3ard to get here. This was considerably better. “Nest” was a much more appealing moniker than “hive.”

Samara stopped in front of an elevator at the end of the hallway and reached toward its doors. A panel pushed out of the crystal, and Samara pressed her talon to the pad. The pad binged loudly, and the doors of the elevator opened.

When the three stepped in, Alex was surprised to find that the elevator was so roomy. It didn’t look like there was going to be enough space at first, but now she was certain they could have fit in another griffin if they’d needed to.

The elevator descended with a whoosh right after the doors glided closed. She looked at Manny, who had been bizarrely quiet. When she saw his face, she knew why. The Beholder looked ready to puke again and was slumped against the wall, only a few of his eyes open.

Alex leaned over to Samara and whispered, “Do you think he’s going to be okay?”

Samara gave Manny an accusatory look. “Oh, yes, he’ll be fine eventually,” she assured Alex. “Beholders have trouble traveling through realms in ways they’re unaccustomed to. Magic is their preference, and technology tends to make them…well, you can see how Manny looks for yourself. He’s being a baby about it, as usual.”

One of Manny’s eyes whirled and glared at Samara. “I’m not being a baby,” he grunted. “I just don’t have as robust a constitution as you. Most of my insides are just gunk and organs. I don’t even have a bone structure to help deal with all that gravity, so thank you for your sympathy.”

Samara leaned over and nipped the back of Alex’s ear lightly. “I just like to give him a hard time,” she whispered. “He’s always so proper, but when he’s sick, he’s like a little kid.”

The elevator came to an abrupt stop and the doors slid open. Samara stepped out and motioned with her head for the rest of them to follow.

The lower section of the Wasp’s Nest had a completely different look to it. Everything was still made of crystal, but it was no longer clear. The walls were black, and there were far fewer people milling about. Most of what Alex could see was split into offices. There was a loud hum coming from above.

When Alex looked up, she saw dozens of people zooming around on what appeared to be hoverboards. She couldn’t get a good look, but she knew technology like that didn’t exist on Earth yet.

Hoverboards might have been a huge surprise to Alex, but she was starting to put things together. It would only make sense that Myrddin and his task force didn’t only rely on magic. They would have to use technology as well. It would be ignorant not to.

Samara guided Alex and Manny down some stairs to the front desk where a ruddy-faced gnome was sitting. He looked up from a pile of paperwork, barely able to see over it. He grunted as he jumped off of his chair and climbed onto the desk, where he stood beside the pile of paper. “It’s good to see you,” Samara brayed.

The gnome crossed his arms and leaned against the pile, nearly knocking it over and falling off the desk before catching himself. “It’s nice to see you too, Sam,” he exclaimed. “This the new kid Myrddin got his undies all bunched up over?”

“There are more polite ways to say that.”

The gnome shrugged and pointed at a room on the left. “Waiting for you in there,” he said. “I’ll forward the paperwork to you.” The gnome pointed at the pile of paper. “I ain’t going looking through that right now.”

The gnome jumped off the desk and returned to his chair, where he reached as high as he could, snatched a piece of paper off of the pile, and got back to his work. Samara held her head up high as she walked away from the gnome in the direction of Myrddin’s office.

As Alex followed, she noticed that the room she was in was changing slightly before her eyes. The crystal walls were stretching and rearranging themselves. They flexed as if they were considering the needs of those passing by. It was a beautiful thing to watch.

Samara finally reached Myrddin’s office. There was a modest door with an even more modest plaque that read Director. Samara knocked on the door and Myrddin’s voice from within said, “Come in.”

The door opened of its own accord. Alex noticed that this door seemed much less modest as it stretched, nearly too quickly or too perfectly to be seen, to accommodate Samara.

Manny followed Samara, and the door became the same size as Manny’s body. Alex went last.

Myrddin’s office could best be described as books in need of more space. Every corner of every wall was covered in shelves, which in turn were covered in books. Alex assumed Myrddin was sitting at a table. If not, he’d managed to find a way to float books perfectly still in front of himself for decoration.

Myrddin looked up from a large, ancient-looking tome and smiled when he saw Alex. He closed the tome, and a puff of dust shot up from its pages. “Oh, it’s good to see you’ve finally made it. I was starting to get worried about you three,” Myrddin said as he waved his hands.

The books on the table flipped upright and zoomed across the room to their proper places in the bookshelves. As the rest of the books started to dance around and move, Alex saw chairs next to the door. When she got a chance, she took a seat.

Alex shifted slightly as Myrddin watched her. “This place is beautiful,” she exclaimed. “What exactly is it?”

Myrddin looked around at the crystal room as it seemed to breathe. “The Wasp’s Nest?” he asked. “Oh, a little creation of mine—a perfect balance of magic and technology developed specifically for breeding dragons and housing our riders. One of my greatest inventions.”

“I didn’t know you used so much technology.”

Myrddin nodded as he scratched his beard. “Yes, a common mistake. Authors have seeded Earth with tales to make accepting the fantastical more palatable, but few people have picked up on our work in science fiction as well. James Cameron was one of my leading agents. There were many avenues we had to go down to prepare folk for the coming of the Dark One.”

“What exactly is the Dark One?”

“All the horrors from every story you’ve ever heard wrapped up in one very dark and evil package.”

Myrddin waved his hand again, and everything in the room vanished. Instead, Alex was floating in space above Earth. There was a massive meteor shooting toward them. “I don’t know how yet, but this is the Dark One’s doing. We need to intercept it, hence…”

The darkness of space broke apart, as did the crystals of the room. Everything warped and changed around Alex. When the crystal reset, she was standing in a large room. A dragon was strapped to something like a chair before her. Elvish scientists were attaching cannons to the dragon’s shoulders and installing technical modifications on its body.

The dragon looked very annoyed.

Alex took a step back as she gasped in awe. A real dragon, right in front of her. She could smell the sulfur coming from its nostrils.

The dragon turned its eyes to Alex and sighed loudly, emitting a blast of heat as one of the elvish scientists tried to wave away the beast’s breath.

Alex stared at the dragon. It was so beautiful she almost couldn’t speak. “That’s…that’s what I’m going to be riding?” she asked.

Myrddin walked over to Alex and patted her on the shoulder. “Eventually. We still need to get you trained.”

Alex’s brain snapped back to the practicalities. “What about my eyesight?” she asked.

“I’m working on it. Trust me, we can’t have you on top of a dragon with Manny sitting behind you.”

“Well, what do I do until then?”

“We start your training immediately. Samara, take Alex to get suited up.”

Chapter Four

Samara led Alex down a series of changing crystal hallways while Manny slunk behind them, still fighting his nausea. Alex was enamored of the changing crystals and didn’t notice the griffin had stopped walking. As Alex continued forward, she bumped into Samara’s raised wing. “Oh, sorry,” she muttered.

Samara smiled with her knowing eyes and chuckled. “It’s okay. Everyone is enchanted by the Nest their first day. But here you are, ready to be fitted.” Two doors ahead whipped open, and Alex jumped at the sight of what was behind them.

An ancient-looking creature that was a combination of human and snake, the worst parts of each, stood before Alex. It had six hands, each holding a device Alex had never seen. Some looked like advanced guns and others like knives. It hissed loudly when it saw Alex.

“Get down,” Alex shouted as she pushed past Samara. She looked around for a weapon. A few feet away from the creature was a table with another of the knife-like objects the beast was carrying. She dove into the room, scooped up the weapon, and brandished it at the monstrosity. “I won’t let you hurt my friends,” she shouted.

The snake-like creature hissed again and slithered around Alex while Samara burst out laughing. The creature continued past the new dragonrider and wrapped its arms around Samara’s neck as the two nuzzled each other. “It’s been too long since you stopped by, Sam,” it rasped.

“What? What?” Alex started.

“That’s a naga,” Samara replied casually.

Hearing Samara’s calm tone, Alex put her weapon down immediately and tried to hide how embarrassed she was.

The naga turned to Alex and extended one of her empty hands. “You must be the new recruit. Glad you have some fire in you. My name is Primerose. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you’re gonna have to learn an important lesson very quickly. Just because it looks scary, that doesn’t mean it’s evil.”

Alex hung her head as she tried to back away and get close to Samara. “I am so sorry,” she apologized. “The only time I’ve ever seen—”

“Was in Middang3ard, right?”

“Yeah. That was what I was going to say.”

“The real world of Middang3ard is much more complicated.” Primerose turned to Samara. “Thanks, Sam. I’ll take it from here. And stop ignoring my lunch requests. I know we’re all busy and—”

Samara raised one of her talons and cut Primerose off. “Understood. Tomorrow, I promise,” she said as she lumbered gracefully away.

Primerose turned her attention back to Alex and ignored Manny, who had chosen to move to a corner where he could sulk undisturbed. “All right, now we have to get you outfitted,” Primerose said, her many hands moving around, their tools shining brightly in the crystalline light.

Alex took a deep breath and stepped closer to Primerose. “What do you want me to do?” she asked.

“Well, first, I have to get you measured.”

“For what?”

“Your suit. I do all the outfitting for the dragonriders and the dragons.”

“You mean, like what they were putting on the dragon earlier?”

Primerose flashed Alex with what looked like a rectangular flashlight. An energy grid displayed on Alex’s body, displaying a multitude of numbers and signs Alex didn’t understand. “Exactly. I do the measurements and prepare the information,” Primerose said. “I usually only apply the suits to cadets, though.”

The energy grid disappeared, and Primerose turned to a computer terminal behind her as her other hands continued to move around Alex. “You said that things were more complicated on Middang3ard than in the game,” Alex said. “What did you mean by that?”

Primerose glanced at Alex and smiled sweetly. “Oh, it’s very complicated. Things are black and white in the game to help with the narrative. In real life, not everyone is on the side you assume. Take the drow, for example.”

“You mean the Dark Elves?”

“You should keep in mind not to call them that. It’s practically a racial slur here, but yes. The drow in-game are bad antihero-types. In real life, they all have their own needs, their own desires, and nearly all stand against the Dark One.”

Primerose moved back toward Alex and her hands started to measure things all over again. It was too fast for Alex to see what they were doing, but she didn’t miss the result. Primerose was starting at Alex’s feet and working her way up, stitching armor straight onto her body. “Even the dragons are complicated.” Primerose sighed.

Alex’s attention was piqued by the mention of the dragons. “What do you mean, the dragons are complicated?” Alex asked. “I thought dragons were pretty straightforward creatures, kinda like Samara. Griffins are always regal and dignified. I thought dragons were the same.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. They are very dignified, just not all on the same side. We assumed all the dragons would want to stand with us against the Dark One. We were wrong. There are some dragons on the Dark One’s side, even one golden dragon.”

Alex couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Golden dragons were the epitome of dragon purity. It was said they were born of the alchemical gold in the veins of the earth. They were creatures of great integrity and compassion, wiser than the other dragons.

Primerose was now working her way up Alex’s midsection. The armor she was being tailored into fit as snug as another set of skin. It was lightweight and seemed to stretch with every one of her movements. “How can that be?” Alex asked. “Aren’t gold dragons… Aren’t they kinda the best?”

“Forget all that stuff you’ve read about dragon hierarchy, kid. It doesn’t really work like that. Sure, that’s what people say, but trust me, I’ve worked with a lot of dragons, and all are trying to make their own destiny. Raise your arms. We’re almost done.”

Alex did as she was told and Primerose continued, stretching the fabric over Alex’s arms and chest, working her way up to Alex’s neck, coming back to her hands, and ending at her wrists. Once done, Primerose smiled as she pulled out what looked like a gun.

Alex sucked in a deep breath as her body tensed. “What’s that?”

Primerose looked at the tool and smiled as she shrugged. “Oh, this? It’s the last step. Still gotta give you your dragon anchor,” she explained. “Ties into the rest of the suit. It’s mostly tech, very little magic. Made to survive nearly any atmosphere or climate. Don’t try flying into the sun, though.”

“So, I’ll be tied to a dragon?”

“That part’s still coming. There you go. Go ahead and take a look.”

Primerose moved to the side so Alex could see herself in the full-length mirror. Her outfit really was like a second skin. There was no bulk, unlike the armor she’d had in-game. There were electrical nodes on her shoulders, spine, and kneecaps.

Alex turned and admired Primerose’s handiwork. “It looks great!” she exclaimed.

Primerose went over to the desk and grabbed two nodules, which she pressed to Alex’s temples. “There you go,” she said. “Those are for your HUD. You’ll find out about that later. Now we gotta get you going. I think the rest of the recruits are having chow about now.”

Primerose shooed her out of the room as Alex tried to catch one last glance of herself in the mirror. Once Alex was out the door, she turned and nervously picked at her knuckles. “I’m really sorry about earlier,” she murmured quietly. “Really sorry.”

Primerose slithered over to Alex and kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry about it,” Primerose hissed. “You’ve got killer instincts. Now get out of here and get some food. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask ol’ Rose, all right?”

“Gotcha!”

Alex turned as Manny slowly floated ahead. “Come on,” he said. “I’ll take you to the mess hall.”

Alex heard the doors to Primerose’s studio shut as she followed him. The sheer excitement was almost too much for her to hold in. She kept looking down at her dragon anchor. This was really happening. What was next?

Chapter Five

Manny and Alex made their way down the winding corridors of the Wasp’s Nest. The allure of the crystals changing around Alex had not worn off, but she was already getting used to the magical tech of the place ebbing and flowing. It was comforting, like being hugged.

Manny seemed to know his way around, so Alex followed him, content to be lost in her thoughts without worrying too much about the Beholder. She wondered how different riding a real dragon was going to be.

Already, meeting creatures of other races was not what she had expected. Samara, the griffin, was much more down to earth than Alex would have guessed. Everything she’d read about griffins emphasized their royal, perhaps even haughty, nature. Samara was anything but.

The same could be said of Primerose. Anytime Alex had come across a naga in the game, it had been an enemy, something that needed to be defeated. Primerose was one of the sweetest people Alex had ever had the joy of meeting. After the brief period of time they’d spent together, Alex felt like she could tell Primerose anything.

And then there was Manny. Beholders were ancient creatures who had been born at the beginning of time and possessed ancient knowledge. They had grown bitter toward the worlds they’d watched grow old around them.

Manny seemed like a slightly disgruntled paper-pusher. Definitely not the thing of nightmares she’d heard Beholders were supposed to be. If Manny was an eldritch creature, she wondered what the rest were going to be like. Manny reminded her of a grouchy, well-meaning uncle more than anything else.

The two turned a corner and Manny stopped, causing Alex to bump into him. One of his eyes swung back and stared at Alex. “Oh, sorry,” she said. “I was caught up in my thoughts. You know, all the new stuff.”

Manny spun around, smiling for the first time since the two of them had gotten off of the plane. The color had come back into his face, and he was the picture of perfect health—or at least, Alex assumed this was what a healthy Beholder looked like. “Don’t worry about it, kid,” he said.

Alex stared long and hard at him. Even though he did look like he was in a better mood, there was still something off. He looked like he might be nervous or keeping a secret. “Hey, Manny, what’s going on?” she asked.

Manny flipped one of his tentacles in the direction of the cafeteria. “Just wanted to give you a few words of encouragement,” he finally said. “We’re about to step into the real Wasp’s Nest. The mess hall is where all the dragonriders go to blow off steam.”

Alex shrugged as she tried to peek around Manny’s shoulder. “Okay, so what’s the big deal?” she asked. “It’s just a bunch of people.”

“I mean, well, people can be very cliquish. You got your vets, who tend to only talk to other vets. And you got your recruits. A lot of them have already split into the parties they think they’re going to be with.”

“What does any of that have to do with me?”

“I’m not going to say this is going to get as advanced as office politics or anything like that. Myrddin just mentioned that, you know, you haven’t done the whole high school thing. I’m just saying, don’t let anyone get under your skin. Especially if they’re trying to.”

Alex nodded as she crossed her arms and smiled. Manny did sound exactly like an uncle. “Yeah, no problem,” she assured Manny. “I’ve got pretty tough skin, and it’s not like I’ve never been around anyone my own age. I’m not some sheltered hermit. I think I’ll be fine.”

Manny floated toward the door as he turned away from Alex, one of his eyes still over his head so he could watch her. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he cautioned. “You know how they say kids are cruel? That doesn’t have anything on the cruelty of teenagers. Rivals the Dark One himself.”

The cafeteria doors opened for Manny, and he practically flew in before stopping himself abruptly. “Also, you need to stay kinda close to me. There’s only a certain range I can provide you with my sight. If you go too far away, you’ll lose it,” he explained.

Alex sighed loudly, hoping Manny could hear her, then instantly regretted trying to make Manny feel bad. “Well, how am I supposed to get to know anyone if I have to stay right next to you?” she asked. “I assume you don’t want to hang out with a bunch of high schoolers.”

“Actually, I couldn’t care less who you’re sitting next to, but I’m going straight for the food. I’m starving. There’s not really a whole lot of food in me right now. So, let’s hit the chow line, and then I’ll just follow you. Also, don’t bother trying to talk to me while I’m eating. Trust me.”

Manny was already in the mess hall, so Alex followed him. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting. She’d read about military mess halls and school cafeterias and had worked out the rest in her imagination. This was nothing like that.

There was a large crystal fountain in the middle of the room, spouting the clearest water Alex had ever seen. A statue extended from the fountain, depicting an elf, a human, and a dwarf crouched beneath a dragon on its hind legs, breathing fire.

The fire was captivating. Even though it was made of crystal, it must have been enchanted to give the illusion of real fire. Alex almost thought she could feel the heat coming from it.

Around the fountain, there was a lush garden with benches spread gracefully throughout it. A variety of folk occupied them, intermingling with each other. Alex couldn’t see any rhyme or reason to who sat with who. None of the races seemed to be keeping to themselves.

Alex leaned over and nudged Manny. “Which ones are the recruits, and which ones are the vets?” she asked.

“Oh, recruits are in gray and white, and those who’ve passed their courses are in black and red. Now, keep up. I need to eat!”

Manny wasn’t kidding. He took off to the right as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Alex had to jog to stay with him. She tried not to get distracted by everything going on in the room but didn’t do a good job of it.

As Alex tried to keep pace, she saw a ball flying through the air. A small group of pixies zoomed past, chasing the ball. The pixies left a trail of bright light behind them, and Alex wished she could have gotten a better look at them.

Suddenly, the world around Alex started to scramble the way a television flickers when it’s losing its signal. Alex instinctively reached for something to hold onto. Her hand found a rail on the wall. “Manny,” she shouted, a little too loudly.

Her vision righted itself just in time to see a group of people about her age staring at her, obviously annoyed at her outburst. Two pairs of eyes stood out. The first belonged to a drow boy. His skin was as dark as midnight, and his eyes were a deep purple.

The second pair of eyes were those of a gruff-looking gnome. Alex couldn’t tell how old the gnome was due to the scruffy beard that obscured most of his face. All Alex could see were his pitch-black eyes staring from underneath a mass of white hair.

Manny came floating over to Alex. “Sorry, I thought you were right behind me,” he said. “Come on.” Manny took Alex’s hand and guided her to the lunch line on the right side of the room.

Alex didn’t need Manny to hold her hand, but she appreciated having someone familiar to ground her. Even though she’d gone her entire life without seeing anything, she’d already begun to rely on her eyes. The brief moment her vision disappeared had been more unsettling than the first time she could see.

The lunch line looked more like what Alex had read about but much fancier. It reminded of her of the time her father had gotten a promotion, and they’d gone out to a fancy brunch restaurant to celebrate.

There were rows upon rows of buffet-style dishes floating in the air, with a magical flame floating beneath each. Next to them were trays.

Manny quickly moved around, grabbing whatever he could get his tentacles on and piling it on his tray. Alex took a little more time as she looked at each of the dishes. She hardly recognized any of them. Each dish had a tag that stated which race it was a delicacy for.

Alex wanted to try one of the elvish dishes, but at the same time, she really needed something familiar. The look the drow boy had given her had left her shaken. There was something in his eyes she didn’t quite understand.

A plate of mashed potatoes and fried chicken was going to have to do. She grabbed her food, went over to a beverage-dispensing machine, and was once more overloaded by the number of options. She chose cola to make her life simpler.

Manny arrived beside Alex, already shoveling food into his mouth. “All right, where do you want to sit?”

Alex looked out over the sea of people talking to each other over their meals. Yeah, this is going to be easy, she thought.

Chapter Six

Alex wandered around the mess hall, trying not to spend too much time staring at the different groups of people. Instead, she focused on the magical and technological wonders around her. She stopped near the fountain and marveled at the garden growing around it.

The garden was filled with flowers that bloomed in colors that almost put the rainbow of the crystal ceiling above to shame. Alex couldn’t tell exactly because she was seeing muted color through Manny’s eyes, but he let her know that the true sight of them was beautiful.

Alex didn’t feel like she was missing out. She could smell the aromas of the flowers. Some of them reminded her of home, and others were vaguely reminiscent of scents she’d caught in Middang3ard but were stronger here.

Manny floated away from Alex, giving her space as she stared down at her plate. She knew she was going to have to reach out to someone. No one ever approached the new kid, according to teenage literature.

Alex finally forced herself to look up. The drow and gnome who had heard her shout earlier were sitting within earshot, and both were staring at her. Neither said anything, but as they turned to look at each other, the drow sneered while he pointed in Alex’s direction.

She ignored the obvious snub and turned to see what else was going on. Even though she was trying to put on a brave front, her insides were squirming. She felt like her neck was very hot, and she had the odd desire to walk around.

A ball flew over Alex’s head. She instinctively yelped and ducked. A few feet away, the gnome and the drow snickered, not bothering to hide that they were laughing at her. Above Alex, the pixies chasing the ball zoomed by.

One of the pixies abruptly stopped, trickling pixie dust on Alex’s head and causing her to sneeze harshly. The pixie floated down in front of Alex. She was roughly as long as Alex’s hand and seemed to be about Alex’s age. Her hair was cut short and she wore the white of a new recruit, although her armor had floral touches. She smiled at Alex as her skin seemed to glow. “Hey, I haven’t seen you here before,” the pixie exclaimed. “My name is Jollies!”

Jollies twirled in the air and curtsied politely. Alex laughed at the enchanting young pixie. “I’m Alex, pleased to meet you.”

“Are you eating all by yourself?”

“Yeah, well, I’m sort of new here. I didn’t know who to sit with.”

Jollies skittered around Alex’s head and asked, “Mind if I join you?” Jollies landed on Alex’s shoulder before she could answer and pulled out a small sandwich. “I haven’t seen a human in the program before. Didn’t think you could ride dragons, to be honest.”

Alex straightened up. She wasn’t sure if she was comfortable enough for Jollies. “I was told I’m the first one,” Alex explained. “We can ride dragons, but Myrddin told me we have a steeper learning curve.”

“You got to meet Myrddin? That must be why you’re here. Sounds like you might be a little bit special for a human.”

“Why? Didn’t you meet him when you were recruited?”

Jollies stretched out her wings, and one of them tickled Alex’s cheek. “Nope. I don’t think anyone has,” she answered. “But that’s probably because there are lots of pixies in the dragonriders.”

“I hope you don’t think this is rude, but I didn’t know pixies could ride dragons. Aren’t they a little bit large for you?”

Jollies jumped to her feet and leapt off of Alex. Alex winced, expecting to be slapped for upsetting the pixie. She remembered what she’d read about them in Peter Pan—only room enough for one emotion.

But Jollies was beaming.

Literally.

She flew close to Alex’s face. “Yeah, you would think, right?” Jollies exclaimed. “Turns out they’ve been breeding a special dragon just for us pixies. Super small, and they’re used for special recon missions. I would die to be part of the Hairballs crew. Oh, I’d friggin’ die to ride with them. They’re so cool, and they’ve been on all sorts of insane missions, and they only accept the best pixie riders.”

Jollies stopped talking and held her hand over her mouth as she blushed. Her whole body turning bright red. “I’m sorry, sometimes I rant when I get too excited.”

Alex giggled and waved away Jollies’ worries. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I think it’s pretty cute. So, it’s an all-pixie squad?”

“Yep, and it’s the only one like it. It’s mostly because we’re so small. I’m pretty sure if you found a way to shrink yourself, you could join. Their motto is ‘Size doesn’t matter, talent does.’ But, I mean, you kinda have to be tiny to get on the dragon, so maybe size does matter. Either way, it’s gonna be me who sets the Dark One’s ass on fire with the fury of my dragon.”

Alex took a bite of her mashed potatoes. They tasted like home but not as good. As she put down her spoon, she caught the drow staring at her. “What’s up with them?” Alex asked, jerking her head in the direction of the drow and the gnome.

Jollies looked at the duo, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. “Oh, them.” Jollies sighed. “The drow is Gill Lowborn, and the surname says it all. The gnome is Brath Gimbel. They think they’re tough guys is all. Ask them, and they’ll tell you how they’re going to be the next big heroes of the war.”

“They seem like dicks.”

“Ignore them. They’re just stupid kids who like to pick fights.”

Manny floated over to Alex and said, “I’m going to go grab seconds. You’ll be okay for a little bit?” he asked. “Because of, you know.” He winked a couple of his eyes at her.

Alex nodded and shooed Manny away. “Yeah, I’ll be okay for a couple of minutes, don’t worry.”

As Manny walked away, Alex’s eyesight started to fade until it was completely gone. This time, it wasn’t a shock; she was prepared to descend into her personal darkness. It almost felt comfortable, taking a break from the sensory overload.

Jollies’ voice came from Alex’s right side. “Hey, are you okay?”

Alex could smell the pixie dust floating off Jollies as she spoke. “Yeah, I’m cool,” Alex replied. “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. I just noticed you started staring like you zoned out or something.”

Alex hadn’t realized she probably would look a little odd if she stopped making eye contact and stared straight ahead, but she wasn’t ashamed of anything. Why not tell Jollies? Alex took a quick, short breath. “Oh, it’s because I’m blind,” Alex explained. “When Manny leaves, I can’t see.”

Jollies floated to Alex’s other shoulder. “Really? I’ve never heard of a blind dragonrider before,” the pixie exclaimed. “That’s so cool.”

Alex’s vision came back, and she saw Manny heading toward her. She also saw Gill and Brath stand up and make their way over. Just great, Alex thought.

Gill pulled up a seat across from Alex, his purple eyes dancing. “Wait a minute,” he said. His voice was far too gruff for a child’s. It sounded like he’d been smoking a pipe his whole life. “Did you just say you’re blind?”

Alex sat up straight and pushed her tray to the side. “Yeah, I did say I was blind. What of it?”

Brath scoffed as he burst out laughing. “What the hell are you going to do, then?” he mocked. “You can’t see anything without your seeing-eye Beholder. You planning on hitting the Dark One with your cane?”

Alex went red and she felt her heart rate increase. She hadn’t expected anyone here to make fun of her for being blind. She almost didn’t know what to say, but she did know she wasn’t going to back down. “I got into the program, didn’t I?” she shot back. “And I did it without being able to see. Think that speaks for itself.”

Brath cracked his knuckles as he took another step toward Alex. “Looks to me like things are bad enough with the Dark One that we have to start accepting cripples.”

Alex jumped to her feet, nearly knocking over her food. “Who the hell are you calling a cripple?” she shouted.

Brath looked like he was going to back down for a second as he cast a glance at Gill, who merely shrugged and looked disinterested after his initial teasing. “I’m calling you a cripple,” Brath reiterated. “You’re probably gonna be the first one to get smoked. You humans are weak and lazy anyway, even when you have both your eyes, which you don’t.”

Brath took off his jacket and tossed it over Manny, covering all of Manny’s eyes.

Everything went black. Alex immediately got disoriented and instinctively reached in front of her to grab something. She nearly lost her balance but managed to regain it quickly. She didn’t dare move, though.

Brath’s nasal voice cut through the darkness. “Exactly,” Brath spat. “What’s to keep me from blackening those smug, useless human eyes?”

Gill’s voice was the next one Alex heard. “Come on, Brath, cut it out,” he said. “She’s had enough.”

“I’m just saying, why the hell do we need this dead weight? Just our luck, we’ll end up having to risk our necks for her.”

Finally, Alex’s vision came rushing back to her. She looked around to see what had happened. Manny was struggling to get the jacket off. His lack of arms wasn’t doing him any favors. Jollies had flown down to him and was trying to help.

Alex stood there awkwardly. Her heart raced so fast she couldn’t speak. Her eyes jumped from Brath’s condescending face to Gill’s indifferent gaze before she stormed off without saying a word.

The farther Alex got from Manny, the more her vision deteriorated. She walked closer to the wall as her eyesight faded, and she descended into familiar darkness with her throat tight from anger. Her hands trembled as she clenched them into fists, and she wished she’d punched Brath’s face.

Chapter Seven

Alex stumbled down the hallway. She wished she could see the crystal splendor around her, but at the same time, she never wanted to see anything again. Brath’s and Gill’s sneering faces were seared into her memory. She’d heard derision before. Seeing it was a whole new thing.

Reflexively, Alex reached out to feel what was in front of her. She wished she had her cane so she could have at least some semblance of normalcy. Then she got an idea. In Middang3ard, you could access your inventory through your HUD.

The inventory provided at the start of the game always had the bare minimum of equipment for each class. Hopefully, the HUD she had in real life wasn’t any different.

She tapped the nodes on her temples and heard them hum to life. If she’d had Manny nearby, she would have seen the holographic interface that stretched from one temple to the other, covering her eyes. Even though Alex couldn’t see the HUD interface, she thought she would take a gamble.

“Walking cane,” Alex whispered.

Alex waited for a few seconds, feeling dumber each second. It was probably asking too much for Myrddin to have planned this far ahead. That thought was dispelled when Alex felt the familiar weight in her hand.

Alex reached out with her cane and tapped the wall. The slight clack practically echoed in her ear. I don’t need Manny or his stupid eyes, she thought. I don’t need any of them. There’s nothing wrong with me. Idiots. Jerks.

Alex made her way down the hall, although she had no idea where she was going. It didn’t matter. She just wanted to get as far away from the source of embarrassment as she could, but she knew she couldn’t run, not from this.

Alex had grown up listening to the snickers of other children. She’d always thought that was why her parents had decided to homeschool her—they assumed she wasn’t strong enough to deal with the other children—but she’d always believed they’d done her a disservice.

Strength was something Alex had in spades. She’d used her strength in Middang3ard VR for some time. It was a strength the rest of her party and anyone she came across could attest to.

This was different, though. This stung more than Alex could ever have imagined. Anytime someone poked fun at her before, she could always chalk it up to that person’s ignorance. Not like this.

Brath was right. What was a blind girl doing trying to ride a dragon?

What if the magic Myrddin was creating didn’t work? What if she was going to have to go back home with her tail between her legs and always aware she’d come this close to experiencing something amazing but had not been able to grasp it?

An interesting smell hit Alex’s nose, something she hadn’t run into before, not like the flowers in the garden. This was different. It wasn’t even remotely familiar. Alex figured she might as well check it out. She had no idea where she was anyway.

She was glad to be back in the dark. Her thoughts were clearer without the light, without everything moving around her, without feeling the need to look at everything. It was weird. She’d never felt like this when she’d been playing VR.

After Alex logged off VR, she’d always felt a slight sense of relief, along with a tinge of sadness. She had not been sad she couldn’t see anymore. Right now, Alex would give anything to be back home and never see this place again.

She continued down the hallway and listened to the way the crystals moved around her. She could practically hear them rubbing against each other. As she walked, she wondered what the smell she was chasing could be and gave herself over to the search.

This wasn’t any different from a game her mother used to play with her when she was a kid. It had been one of her favorite cooking games. Liza would hide a piece of fruit or a vegetable somewhere in the kitchen. Alex would then come into the kitchen and try to sniff it out.

After a while, the kitchen wasn’t big enough for the game, and they expanded it into the living room. When the living room became too small, they included upstairs. Soon it was the entire house, and after that, outside as well.

After a few months, Alex could name nearly every spice, every fruit, every ingredient, one by one, just from one whiff. She used to pretend she was the main character from the book Perfume, minus the creepy serial-killer parts of the story.

She never quite developed a strong enough sense of smell to build entire worlds in her imagination, but she knew she had a gift. It was this gift that was guiding her through the halls of the Wasp’s Nest.

As Alex walked, she tried to catalog each of the new scents she came across. They weren’t exactly new, though. She’d smelled them since she first arrived. They were the scents of elves or gnomes or the crystal walls. Still, there was one unique aroma that stood out amongst them all, and the source was what she searched for.

Alex tapped her cane against the wall until she could tell there was a corner. She swung her cane out in front slowly to avoid hitting anyone walking by. The hallway seemed empty enough, so she stepped out and turned the corner.

A soft voice popped into Alex’s head. There you go. You’re almost there.

Alex screamed and jumped back as she dropped her cane. “Who’s there?” she asked as she bent over to find her cane.

Alex knew the difference between someone speaking to her when she wasn’t aware and being alone. This was different. This felt like it was a thought in her head, but it wasn’t her thought.

Don’t be frightened, child. Just a little farther. Take the left up here.

Alex felt for her cane and grabbed it. She stood up and tapped until she was closer to the wall. “Why should I trust you? Who are you?” Alex asked as she tried to keep her voice from trembling.

Do you not have a sense of adventure, Child of Dust?

This was the second time Alex had been challenged today. The first time had stirred her anger. This time it was irritating. Why was everyone so intent on calling her out as if they had any idea what she was capable of. “What makes you think I don’t?” Alex challenged.

The voice laughed, a deep, growling, almost warm sound. It’s just that you’ve asked so many questions so far. I’ve rarely seen an adventurer take the time to inquire of everything that is currently happening.

“I wouldn’t make a very good adventurer if I blindly walked into every trap laid in front of me, would I? I’m pretty sure that would just make me a dead adventurer.”

The voice laughed again. Whoever was speaking to Alex was obviously amused. Good answer, Dustling, good answer.” The voice chuckled. I can assure you Myrddin has not placed anything in the Wasp’s Nest that would truly wish to harm you. Why would he bring you here, just to cause your death?

“You got a point there. All right, lead the way.”

Turn left here and take the hall all the way down. I’ll be waiting for you.

Alex did as she was told. She could hear the crystals shifting around her, and the unfamiliar smell was getting stronger and stronger. Finally, her cane tapped against a dead end. She pressed her hand to the freakishly warm crystal. “Is this it?” Alex asked.

The voice came bubbling back up in Alex’s head. Imagine the door opening, the voice instructed. See it opening before you and come visit with me so we may speak in person.

Alex thought of the door to her room swinging open. There was a dull green sky outside, and she could see her neighborhood.

The crystal against Alex’s hand started to shift and change, pulling itself back to reveal an empty space. She tapped her cane in front of her to double-check, then stepped into the space.

The room was filled with the unfamiliar and overwhelming scent. Whatever she had smelled dominated and was hot as well, almost the kind of heat you get from someone breathing too heavily over you.

The voice was back in Alex’s head. Come closer, Dustling, so I may see you better. Come, sit and talk with me. I wish to know you better.

Alex tapped across the floor, getting closer to the scent. “Why did you want to meet with me?” she asked.

There is something different about you. Different than the rest. I wished to see what it is.

Alex snorted derisively. “Yeah, you could say something’s different.” She sighed. “I don’t think I belong here, not like everyone else.”

A huff of hot air blasted Alex in the face. The heat in the room must have just been turned on, and the air had a musty scent to it. Who is to say who belongs in war? the voice asked. War is not a particularly natural state. Perhaps none of us belong here.

“What do you mean?”

The Dark One marches on Middang3ard, and we have gathered here, away from our families, children sitting amongst the ancients. But perhaps you are too fragile for this war. Some of us are born of steel, to be molded by the fire. Others are born of glass and crystal, to be marveled at from afar.

“I’m not a fragile piece of glass.”

The voice laughed again in Alex’s head. It sounded genuine and caring. Dustling, may I ask a favor of you? the voice inquired. I wish to know you better.

Alex squirmed uncomfortably. The straightforwardness of her interrogator was slightly disconcerting. “Okay, what do you want to know?” she asked.

I’d like to read your memories and understand your experiences to gauge how fragile or strong you are. I see so much fragility, yet so much strength.”

“My memories? How are you going to do that?”

I have my ways.

Alex wrung her hands on her cane. “I don’t know how I feel about you mucking around in my mind.”

The voice laughed uproariously. I am already mucking about, the voice replied. But I do not pry where I am unwanted.

Alex sighed as she thought it over. This voice was obviously in her head, which meant it was speaking to her telepathically. What would the harm be in letting it see a couple of memories? It wasn’t like she’d led a particularly interesting life. “All right,” Alex said reluctantly. “Go ahead and take a look.”

There was a long period of silence, the unfamiliar room filling up more and more with the scent. “Oh, yes. So this is the real you,” the voice murmured.

With those words, Alex felt the world around her slipping away. She had the distinct feeling of falling, and then there was nothing.

Chapter Eight

When Alex could see again, there were clouds all around her. She wasn’t sure where she was, though. It felt as if she were looking at herself in a mirror or a dream. She could see her body while she was in it, and it was extremely disorienting.

As she looked around, she noticed she was surrounded by dragons and dragonriders. She realized she was in the air, and this was a place she’d been before. This wasn’t happening right now. This was a memory of some mission she’d played in Middang3ard VR.

Jim was at Alex’s side. He was smiling and waving to get her attention. The rest of her party was lined up behind him, and there were more dragonriders she didn’t recognize as well. It looked like they were on a raid with a couple of other groups.

Alex wracked her brain to try to figure out exactly what the mission was and what they were doing. She also absentmindedly wondered how she’d gotten here. Her brain felt fuzzy, and it was difficult to put thoughts together. The only thing that seemed right was watching events unfold as if they were a movie, which made much more sense.

Jim shouted at Alex over the wind, “Hey, I did some research on these frost giants before we came out here. They don’t look like they’re going to be too tough. We got this. Real easy.”

Alex watched herself speaking, the words coming from her mouth even though she wasn’t thinking them. It was a freaky experience. “They can’t be too easy,” she replied. “This raid is two levels higher than I am. I highly doubt this is going to be simple.”

One of the riders behind Alex pushed his dragon up farther, so he was between Alex and Jim. “What are you two talking about?” he asked. “Trying to keep secrets? You know this raid isn’t going to work if we aren’t communicating with each other.”

A rider behind them shouted, “What’s there to communicate? We’re going up against frost giants. We’re riding fire-breathing dragons, or at least anyone who got the memo has a dragon that breathes fire. Thank God no one brought any frost dragons. This’ll be over before lunch.”

The voice that had spoken to Alex before bubbled up in her head again. You seem to be nervous in this memory, the voice mused. Just relax. Talk to me. Don’t worry about trying to do or say the right thing. As long as you relax, the memory will flow naturally.

Alex didn’t see the point in arguing. Obviously, the voice knew more about reliving memories than she did, and it sounded kind of nice to sit back and watch her previous exploits. Maybe she could learn something new by watching.

The host of dragonriders soared higher. As Alex relaxed, the emotions she’d felt that day washed over her. She’d been apprehensive; something had been off with the mission description.

Alex pulled up her HUD and looked at the description of the mission.

A group of frost giants has stolen the long-lost scrolls of El-Zeroth. They have hidden them deep within their fortress. It is up to you to retrieve the scrolls to keep the frost giants of Nordom from reading the hidden secrets of the scrolls.

Alex reread the raid description. On the surface, there didn’t seem to be anything odd, other than that this was a raid given specifically to dragonriders, which would be like creating a mermaid-specific mission for water mages.

It would be too easy.

The dragonriders clustered together to speak about their plan for taking on the frost giants. Most of the riders thought it would be best to hit the giants straight on. They could easily burn through their defenses. Frost giants always built their defenses out of ice. It would be a slaughter.

Alex kept her opinion to herself, which caught Jim’s attention. Usually, she was one of the first to put her ideas forward. She didn’t care much if people listened to them since she knew the mission was most important, and having more ideas flowing meant better planning.

In the distance, Alex could see the frost giants’ fortress. It was built into a snowy mountain ridge and looked like it was carved completely out of ice. It produced the sweeping awe of a Victorian mansion, looking far too sophisticated.

Alex thought about everything she knew about frost giants. She had the odd feeling someone was listening to her thoughts but pushed the worry away. This was supposed to play out like a movie or something. She was just along for the ride.

Frost giants came from an entirely different realm. They weren’t native to Middang3ard and had come to this realm with the Norse gods. Loki had brought them here in the last released expansion.

The raid before this had involved helping Thor win a battle against Loki, effectively locking all the frost giants back into their realm. According to the in-game lore, there shouldn’t have been frost giants in Middang3ard anymore, and that was what was off.

She flew closer to Jim and waved him over. “I don’t think we should strike them head-on.”

Jim sighed, rolled his shoulders back, and sat down on his dragon. “Why not?”

“Frost giants aren’t even supposed to be in the game right now, remember? We all did that Thor and Loki raid. We sent them back. Whatever stole those scrolls isn’t a proper frost giant. They’re up to something weird.”

“So, you’re saying we should split up and let everyone else have all the fun?”

Alex was already messaging the rest of the players in the raid. She had a feeling none of them were going to take her seriously. Everyone seemed pretty gung-ho to take on the giants. She couldn’t really blame them; giants netted a lot of XP.

But Alex wasn’t that shortsighted.

Killing enemies gave XP, but it was nowhere near the XP and loot you got from completing a mission without dying, which was what Alex was after.

In a couple of minutes, Alex received messages from the other players. As expected, none were interested in detouring from the original plan. Everyone thought they had the battle won.

Alex wrote another message to her party.

I really think they’re making a mistake. I think we’re going to get wiped out by whatever the fake frost giants have in store. We should take another route. Go around back. See if we can swipe the scrolls that way. The mission doesn’t say anything about killing the giants, just getting the scrolls back.

Jim messaged Alex.

They’re on an enormous mountain of ice. Why wouldn’t they be frost giants?

Because Frost Giants are subterranean. Why would they build anything on a mountain?

You got a point there. So, we’re going around the back? Don’t you think it’s kind of messed up to let everyone else just get wiped out?

I sent them all the same message I sent you guys. Besides, we don’t know for sure. We could be wrong and fly into something even worse. We’ll find out when we get there.

Alex and her party broke away from the rest of the dragonriders. No one from the other parties noticed or cared. The mountain came up quickly as Alex’s party swooped to the right to take the long way around.

To say the mountain was huge would be to minimize its sheer size. It was roughly the width of a small island. It looked like a continent had been ripped from the ocean and stretched toward the sky. It was impossible to see the top.

The party had been flying for nearly fifteen minutes, still trying to reach the opposite side of the mountain, the polar opposite of the original coordinates.

Phillis, who was riding a swap-in dragon for her ice dragon, crossed her arms. “Am I the only one who is insanely bored?” she whined. “If I wanted to just ride around, I wouldn’t have joined a raid.”

Alex looked at Phillis with disbelief. “Honestly, how can you be bored right now?”

“Everyone else is off doing some major killing, and we’re just floating around like a couple of pigeons.”

Alex leaned forward, and her dragon anchor glowed brightly as she sped past the rest of her party members. How could you possibly be bored up here? she wondered.

The bubbling voice of her invisible friend came through her thoughts again. My thoughts exactly, the voice agreed. I don’t think your friends have the same appreciation for the skies as you do.

Alex knew the voice was right, but she still felt the need to defend her friends. “Not everyone plays Middang3ard for the same reasons,” she said. “I kind of latched onto riding dragons as soon as I found out you could. Some people like the fighting, I guess. I love the flying.”

The voice chuckled. That’s good to know.

Up ahead of Alex, at the new coordinates, was a swarm of black. She flipped down her HUD to zoom in so she could get a better view. The black swarm was made up of giant ravens. While the birds were nearly half the size of the dragons, they were still only ravens.

Alex hit the radio on her HUD and shouted, “Looks like you guys will see some excitement after all!”

She sped toward the congress of ravens. She’d always thought “congress” was such a cool name for a group of birds, almost as good as a murder of crows.

The rest of the party caught up with Alex because she slowed down to give them a chance to get some kills in.

Jim swept into the mass of ravens as his dragon launched fire from its mouth and burned through the first line of birds easily. He mimed pulling back on his reins, causing his dragon to come to a full stop before spinning in a circle and burning everything in sight.

The rest of the dragonriders tore into the congress as well. Their elemental dragons filled the air with the crackle of lightning or boulders they flung.

Alex held back and watched the battle before her. She knew they wouldn’t need her help and was content to enjoy the still sky around her.

The invisible voice made itself known again. Why didn’t you join the fight? the voice asked.

Alex was roused from her peaceful thoughtfulness. “Huh. Oh, I don’t know,” she said. “It’s kinda nice over here, and I was questing all day. I don’t need the XP. I just wanted to figure out what was going on with the raid, and I was curious about what’s up with the whole scroll thing.”

After Alex’s party cleared away the ravens, she flew through the shower of black feathers to where her HUD’s coordinates were pointing her. Alex could see there was a doorway built into the side of the mountain. It wasn’t locked and only had a latch. “Bingo,” she said as she got close enough to pull the door open.

Alex’s HUD binged. It was a message from some of the other players. Turned out they had all been wiped out. The frost giants hadn’t been giants at all. It looked like it was an illusion by the god Loki.

Jim flew over to Alex as they both dismounted their dragons and jumped through the door into the mountain. “Looks like you were right,” he admitted. “Sorry for doubting you.”

Alex selected a lantern from her inventory. “Jim, I’d be worried if you did everything I said,” she admitted. “I appreciate your judgment. Keeps me from thinking I’m always right.”

For the first time since Alex had heard the voice in her head, she reached out to it to say something. “I can’t wait to show you what we found,” she exclaimed. “It was really…”

Suddenly her thoughts became fuzzy again. The world around her was breaking up, and she had the same sensation of falling, followed by a loud voice repeating something over and over. This voice was not coming from her head; it was very real.

Alex’s eyesight returned. She looked around, confused as to where she was. Manny was floating in front of her, some of his eyes glaring and the others wide open. “What the hell are you doing in here?” the Beholder demanded.

Alex stood up and prepared to brush past Manny. She’d completely forgotten she’d stormed away from the mess hall because of her argument with Brath. “I’m okay,” she said briskly.

“You aren’t supposed to be in here yet,” Manny continued.

“Why not? What’s so important in here?”

Alex turned, and the blood drained from her face as her heart rate doubled.

Crouched before Alex was a smooth-skinned ether dragon. It looked as if it didn’t have any scales and was a mixture of different shades of green. As the dragon leaned forward, its green skin shimmered to white and then purple, making it look as if it were liquid. The dragon was smaller than any Alex had seen in Middang3ard.

Alex backed away out of instinct. Now she knew what that strange smell was: the scent of a real dragon. Nice to meet you, Alex, the voice said in her head. My name is Chine.

“Nice to m-meet you,” Alex stammered, raising her hand weakly.

One of Manny’s tentacles wrapped around her wrist and pulled her away from the dragon. “Come on, we need to get going,” he barked as he rushed Alex out of the room.

Chapter Nine

Manny didn’t say much as he ushered Alex out of the room and down the hall. They walked for some time before Alex finally cracked and spoke first. “Those guys were jerks,” Alex said softly. “I know I shouldn’t have gotten that upset, but I couldn’t be around them.”

Manny hardly seemed to notice what Alex said. “Oh, I don’t care about you leaving,” Manny finally admitted. “You’re a big girl, and I have no doubt you can take care of yourself. I was supposed to keep you away from the dragon’s nest, though. Myrddin was very specific about that.”

Alex smiled at Manny. “Well, how about you keep my little secret, and I’ll keep yours?”

Manny’s eyes checked over his shoulder to see if there was anyone around. “All right, deal,” he whispered. “Now, let’s get you to your room before anyone notices you’re not around.”

They started down the hall again. “Wait, ‘my room?’” Alex asked, “Am I going to be living here?”

“Think of it as an introduction to living in a dorm room in college, except you only have one roommate, and I don’t think she takes up much space.

Manny turned a corner, and the crystal opened a door into a room. The number 12 was above it. “Here you go,” he said. “Go ahead and get settled in. I’ll be back when it’s time for the binding ceremony.”

“The binding ceremony? What’s that?”

A mischievous grin spread over Manny’s huge face. “Oh, come on, don’t you like surprises?” he asked before spinning around and racing down the hall, cackling like a madman.

Alex couldn’t help chuckling. That was the most eldritch thing she’d seen Manny do, and even so, it was far too good-natured to be the action of a true eldritch creature.

The room Alex stood in now was very different from those she’d seen in the Wasp’s Nest so far. First, the crystal had a different appearance, more like redwood. If Alex looked closely, she could still see it was crystal. This must have been to create more of a homey feel rather than the grandiose nature of the rest of the Nest. Alex was thankful for it.

She walked farther into the room as her vision started to dim. It didn’t disappear completely, though. Manny must have decided to give her some space but not get far enough away to blind her.

The room was modestly furnished. There was a desk, a rocking chair, and a bed built into the wall. Alex scratched her head as she spun to look at the room. She could have sworn Manny had said something about having a roommate, but there wasn’t any other furniture.

She sat down on her bed and wondered where her roommate’s furniture could be. Then she noticed it. There was a small bed on her dresser, barely the size of her cellphone. A miniature dresser was next to the bed. Guess I’m rooming with a pixie, Alex thought. Might as well rest until she gets here.

The bed was soft enough that she sprawled out and was asleep within minutes.

* * *

Alex woke to the sound of someone singing softly and sat upright as fast as she could. She was slightly confused as to where she was before remembering everything that had happened over the last couple of days. She swung around and hung her feet off the bed.

She noticed someone brought the bags her mom had sent ahead into the room and stacked them by the dresser, mostly books. It would be interesting to read braille even though she could see.

The soft singing stopped, and Alex heard a flutter of wings just before she smelled pixie dust. Jollies flew from the desk and stopped in front of Alex’s face while beaming brightly. “Oh, good, you’re awake,” the pixie exclaimed. “I’ve been waiting for you to wake up forever!”

Alex returned the enthusiastic smile and scooted down her bed so she could lean against the wall and get out of Jollies' brightness. “Glad to see you too,” Alex said. “Looks like I’m going to be your roommate.”

“Good. I haven’t had a roommate since I got here. Everyone else has been all buddy-buddy with their roommates, and I’ve just been hanging out with the other pixies, trying to make friends. Everyone is so cliquish, it’s ridiculous.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“So, how do you like the Wasp’s Nest so far?”

Alex told Jollies everything that had been on her mind since she arrived. How enthralled she was with the magic and tech everywhere. She told the pixie this was the first time she’d ever really seen magic, and she hadn’t been expecting it to be part of the architecture.

Jollies had a similar feeling. Where she was from, magic wasn’t used for mundane things. Magic was reserved for formal occasions and events. It was weird to see magic being used for something as simple as a building, but she liked it.

As the two of them talked, Alex’s mind started to drift back to Chine. Alex had only briefly seen Chine, but she still couldn’t believe she’d actually talked to a dragon. She couldn’t wrap her head around how much personality Chine had compared to the dragons she’d met in Middang3ard.

“Hey, Jollies? Have you met any dragons since you’ve been here?”

Jollies floated down and sat next to Alex on the bed. “Met a dragon? Not in person. Not yet. We’re supposed to be doing that tonight,” she answered.

“So, you haven’t spoken to one yet?”

“Nope. Why are you asking?”

“No reason.”

Jollies fidgeted as she sat. “Hey, I wanted to apologize for earlier,” she started. “About Gill and Brath. That was out of line. Brath is…well, Brath kinda hates humans. He’s still really upset they didn’t come to help when the gnome realm was attacked.”

Alex looked up. “What happened to the gnome realm?”

“A lot of them were wiped out, and those who weren’t were enslaved. The remaining gnomes—the ones who are still alive—are either all part of MERC or the military.”

“Oh, my God, that’s awful. I can see why he has an issue with us. Do you know why the humans didn’t help?”

“I’m not that into politics. Plus, no one really knows why it took the humans so long to join the fight. You’re here now, though, and that’s all that matters. And if Brath or Gill try that crap again, I got your back.”

A loud gong came from the room’s speaker system. Alex and Jollies jumped at the noise, but Jollies quickly composed herself and started zipping around the room. “All right, finally!” she shouted. “It’s time to go! Don’t forget your dragon anchor!”

Alex got off the bed and checked to see if her dragon anchor was still around her wrist. “Go where?” she asked as she followed Jollies out of the room.

Jollies cast a glance over her shoulder, smiling from ear to ear. “It’s time for the binding!”

Chapter Ten

Jollies and Alex met Manny outside their room and he led them to what Jollies called the Dragons’ Nest. Alex could smell the now-familiar scent of Chine, mixed with what Alex now knew was other dragons.

Manny answered the slew of questions Jollies asked. Alex wasn’t paying attention because she had a rough idea of what the binding ceremony was. She was more concerned with how Myrddin was going to grant her eyesight.

As the three of them walked down the hall toward the Dragons’ Nest, Gill and Brath stepped out of their room directly in front of them. Brath didn’t waste any time filling the air with animosity. He didn’t even need to speak. Alex could feel the hatred rolling off the gnome.

Gill didn’t seem to have the same ill will, though. He looked at Alex with an air of indifference, and Alex was surprised when he spoke to her. “Did you two get called to the binding ceremony as well?”

Alex numbly nodded. “Yeah, we heard a gong,” she muttered.

“Guess we’re going to be in the same training class.”

Brath walked past Gill and the rest of them. “Great, I get to watch the human fail,” he growled.

Alex felt anger well up but squashed it down quickly. She remembered what Jollies had said about Brath’s home realm. If this was how he had to vent his frustration, Alex could be understanding until she got to know him better.

Rather than follow Brath, Gill fell in with Jollies, Manny, and Alex. He didn’t say anything as he walked alongside them, and Alex was reminded of a shadow—a mysterious, handsome shadow. Alex tried not to stare at Gill but felt herself blushing.

Brath apparently knew the way to the Nest because he didn’t stay close enough to follow Manny’s instructions. He rounded corner after corner ahead of them while Jollies turned her questioning to Gill. Alex paid closer attention to their conversation than she had to Manny’s and Jollies’, but she wasn’t able to catch much.

Finally, they came to a cathedral-style door. This must have been the one Alex had tapped with her cane the first time she came through. Brath reached for the door, and a panel formed from the crystal and stretched toward him. He pressed his hand to the surface, and the majestic double doors opened to the Dragons’ Nest.

The Nest felt larger than the last time Alex was here. Although she hadn’t seen much of it, she knew it was nothing like what was in front of her now. It opened directly in front of a staircase that went nearly to the ceiling. Along the staircase were crystal rails. At the top was a platform where Myrddin stood.

As the four potential dragonriders started up the steps, hissing and roaring filled the room. No one spoke, but Jollies hummed nervously. When they got to the top, Myrddin bowed politely to each and motioned for them to look over the side of the platform.

Four dragons sat beneath them. They were as large as the ones she’d seen in Middang3ard. She’d had no idea there was so much room under the stairs.

Myrddin pointed and said, “Timber, an earth dragon.” Looking at the four, Alex saw a large dragon curled in the corner of the holding pen. Its skin was the color of moist, fertile earth, and its horns were smaller than the rest of the dragons’. The texture of its wings could have been mistaken for bark, and as it yawned, its body shimmered in and out of sight.

“Next is Amber, an electric dragon.” This one was noticeably smaller than the rest, but not as small as Chine. It flitted back and forth with nervous energy. Its scales were steely-blue, and electricity crackled between them. The sweeping horns on its long face looked like conducting rods with bolts of lighting shooting between them.

“And now we have Furi, a fire dragon.” Furi took up most of the space in the pen. It was the largest of all the dragons, and its chest was covered in golden scales that looked like coins. Massive, sweeping horns stretched from its head nearly to its shoulders. The dragon had rippling biceps and a muscular chest.

“And finally, Chine, our only ether dragon.” Chine crouched in the opposite corner. His scales shifted between different colors. He was the only dragon who looked at Alex as she stared over the platform. Ah, Alex, Chine said telepathically. I’m glad to see you were one of the four chosen.

Alex was about to respond when she felt Myrddin’s hand on her shoulder. “Come, Alex,” he said. “The binding ceremony is about to begin.” Myrddin turned to the other three teenagers. “Please line up shoulder to shoulder from smallest to largest.”

Jollies zipped over to Brath’s right side before anyone had a chance to say anything. Gill and Alex sized each other up, and Alex smiled awkwardly as she stood at Gill’s left side since she was nearly a head taller than him.

Myrddin spread his arms wide. “Let the binding begin!” he shouted.

The room was filled with silence. Nothing happened.

Chine’s voice surfaced in Alex’s head. Exciting, isn’t it? He laughed.

Alex reached out to Chine with her own thoughts. Chine, is it? she asked.

Yes, Alex?

What exactly is happening?

Alex leaned forward to get a look at what everyone else was doing. Jollies had her eyes closed tightly, and Brath was tapping his feet impatiently. Gill was the only one who seemed to be unconcerned about what was happening.

Chine’s voice pierced Alex’s thoughts. The dragons are choosing their riders. They’re each speaking with a rider right now, same as I am doing with you. Going through their memories, trying to find who they’re most compatible with.

Alex nodded and realized she probably looked crazy. “You guys choose us, we don’t choose you,” she murmured.

Exactly. Oh, I think we have our first one.

The dragon Timber spread his wings, flapped once, and soared into the air. He stared into Gill’s eyes for some time before turning to Myrddin and nodding.

Myrddin stepped forward and grabbed Gill’s wrist, the wrist with the dragon anchor. He whispered something under his breath, and Gill’s dragon anchor began to glow the same color as Timber’s eyes. Timber breathed out a spiral of fire that engulfed Gill.

Alex screamed and leapt backward as the flames swallowed the elf. When the flames went out, Gill was still standing but was holding his chest and breathing heavily.

Gill looked up at Timber, who only nodded before flying toward the ceiling. The crystal separated, allowing Timber to fly out into the night sky.

Myrddin rested his hand on Gill’s shoulder. “You may wait outside,” he said. “You’ve been bound.”

Gill did as Myrddin said. He was shaking slightly as he walked, but other than that, he seemed to be perfectly fine. Would have been nice if someone had warned him, Alex thought.

Chine’s laughter rippled through Alex’s mind. It wouldn’t be much of a ceremony if everyone knew the details.

Amber rose into the air. Electricity crackled, and the hair on the back of Alex’s neck stood up. The dragon floated toward Jollies and met the pixie’s eyes. A bolt of lightning crackled from above and struck the spot where Jollies hovered.

Once the smoke dispersed, Alex saw that Jollies was still floating, although her hair looked like she’d stuck her finger in an electrical outlet. She turned to Alex with a shaky smile.

Myrddin walked over to Amber and nodded.

Amber shrank in size. It happened so fast Alex could hardly tell what was going on. The dragon was now roughly the size of a large cat as it took off into the sky.

Alex leaned over to check on the two remaining dragons. Looks like those two will be a good match, Chine mused. They both seem to want to fly very fast.

Next, Furi spread his oversized wings and flapped once, sending a gust of wind through the whole room. The fire dragon glared at Brath as the dragon’s lips trembled. Alex wasn’t sure if the dragon was going to breathe fire or bite off Brath’s head.

Brath didn’t back down or show any fear. Instead, he stepped up to the dragon until they were nose to nose at the edge of the platform. Brath raised his dragon anchor and it glowed a deep, blood red, the same color as Furi’s eyes.

Chine’s voice echoed in Alex’s head. They’ve got a good amount of anger and hatred between them, he said. I hope they don’t burn each other.

Furi snarled and spat a fireball at Brath’s feet. The fireball exploded and covered the gnome in flames. Brath stood there until the flames passed. He coughed as he inhaled smoke. Furi smiled as he took off into the sky. Brath left the room and gave Alex side-eye while he said, “Guess the human gets the runty leftover.”

Chine rose into the air and looked into Alex’s eyes. The dragon’s eyes were kind. They looked old and reminded Alex of her grandmother’s. Hardly, Chine thought to Alex. Myrddin and I decided it would be best if we saved you for last. Our binding will be a little more complicated.

Myrddin stepped forward and nodded. “You two bonded earlier today while you were sharing memories,” he said. “Before we perform the spell, we need to bind you technologically. Please raise your dragon anchor.”

Alex did as she was told, and her anchor glowed the same color as Chine’s eyes. “With that taken care of, we’ll do the spell. Alex, I can’t heal your eyes, but I can give you Chine’s sight. It won’t be the same as with Manny. You will be able to see, no matter how far away you are from the dragon. But I must warn you, a dragon’s sight is a thousand times more powerful than a human’s. It might be a strain. Do you understand?”

Alex didn’t care how difficult it was going to be. She would have given both her arms to be able to ride a dragon again. She wanted to be in the sky. “Yeah, I can handle it,” she said.

“All right then, let’s do this.”

Myrddin stood behind Alex and covered her eyes with his hand. Alex felt a warm sensation on her eyelids as she stood in darkness. Myrddin was chanting something, but Alex couldn’t make it out. After a moment, the warmth started burning, then changed to searing pain.

Myrddin released Alex, and she fell forward with her right hand held over her eyes. She wanted to scream in pain, but she didn’t want any of the other riders to hear. She could handle this.

Alex slowly opened her eyes. They felt heavy, as if someone had bolted them shut. The first thing she saw was Chine’s eyes. They were deep purple, and then they weren’t. Alex’s head erupted in pain as she backed away.

Chine leaned forward to get a better look at Alex.

Alex’s head was screaming from the pain. When she looked at the dragon and saw the way his scales morphed between different colors, the knocking pain behind her eyes increased. She tried to stand but suddenly became sick to her stomach. There was too much color. Too much vibrancy. She wanted it to stop. She wanted the darkness. Seeing was making her sick.

Chine sensed what was wrong and flew backward, away from Alex and closer to the shadows.

Myrddin moved behind Alex. The sound of his steps made Alex whip around. She nearly screamed when she looked at him. She could see each and every pore on his face as if she were looking through a microscope, but that wasn’t all. She could see the individual threads in his clothing.

Every detail was magnified; it was too much. She couldn’t stop the scream this time. Her brain was overloading. She pitched forward to keep from throwing up and covered her eyes. “Oh, my God. It hurts so much,” she whimpered.

Slowly she opened her eyes, but she was still seeing too much. She felt like she could see each cell that made up her hands in excruciating detail. “Take it away,” she muttered before she realized what she’d said.

Myrddin leaned down and helped prop her against the wall. Alex shut her eyes and fought back the tears from the migraine pounding in her head. “Are you sure you can do this?” he asked.

Alex took a deep breath and imagined herself on Chine’s back with the sun in her face and the wind blowing through her hair. She cracked her eyes open. The flood of visual information was almost too much. She thought she might faint, but she held on with her teeth gritted and fought through the pain. “I’m going to be a dragonrider,” Alex ground out slowly. “No matter what.”

Alex stood and faced Chine. She opened her eyes as wide as she could and stared into the dragon’s eyes as he flew closer. His deep-purple eyes were rimmed with blue and green, which changed to yellow and orange. They held each other’s gaze for some time before Chine nodded and followed the path of the other dragons out of the nest.

She watched as he flew away. When she looked at the night sky, the stars blazed with a blinding light, and she lost her balance. She hit the floor with a heavy thud and shut her eyes as tight as she could. I’m going to fly again, she thought, slipping in and out of consciousness. No matter what it takes, I’m going to fly again.

Author Notes Ramy Vance

January 2, 2020

“Dragons in space,” that’s what I said to Michael Anderle when I met him Edinburgh. “Dragons in space.” 

He just looked at me in that way he does, his eyes narrowed as he considered the proposal (what is refreshing about Michael is that you can play an endless game of improv with him by throwing out random terms and thoughts - to which he’ll always turn it into a story). 

“Will that work?” he asked me, but I knew he was already plotting.

“What’s not to work? Dragons in space. Think about it. How cool would that be?” 

“So you’re saying this would be a second series in Middang3ard?” 

“Yep.”

“And what, would the dragons be wearing, what, space suits?” 

Now that was a question I was prepared for: “I’m thinking mech armor and magic spells that surround their bodies with a thin layer of oxygen.” 

He considered this and shook his head. “We can come up with something better.” 

Damn it… still this was a victory. He was intrigued. 

“Let me think about it,” he finally said. 

Over the next few days, every time I saw him, I yelled, “Dragons in space.” It got to the point where if he saw me, he’d turn around and walk away. But I wasn’t deterred. I just screamed all the louder: “Dragons in space!” 

I think I might have oversold it. I probably didn’t need to hound him. But still, it was fun. It wasn’t every day you got to legitimately yell something like, “Dragons in space,” at a person like Michael and get away with it.

Finally, on the last day of the conference, he nodded and said, “Dragons in space. Let’s talk about it.” 

And from that, the Dragon Rider series was born. “Dragons in space, baby!” 

PS - do me a favor. Tag Michael in a post with the hashtag: #DragonsInSpace in the Kurtherian Gambit Group and a link to the book. It will drive him crazy, but because we’re basically marketing the book, there’s nothing he can do about it. (Mwahahahahaha! DRAGONS IN SPACE, BABY… DRAGONS IN FRIGGIN’ SPACE!) 

Author Notes Michael Anderle

January 5, 2020

Thank you for reading this story!

Because of fans, I get to Research the World™, which is a pleasure, finding new locales and people to invigorate creativity so I can continue to bring you more stories.

Right now, I’m studying Hong Kong (looking at the city of Hong Kong from Hong Kong Island). It is a little cloudy, and the mountains, which are not that far away, are shrouded in mystery.

DRAGONS

I have a love/hate relationship with dragons, clearly more love than hate since I’m involved in three series right now that deal with dragons. I like that they are massive, fierce creatures with magical abilities that just look freaking cool.

I hated EVER having to role-play a fight with a dragon. I felt like I was about to become that little mess under their feet they would then wipe across the ground to get rid of.

I liked playing a Magic-User. You know, the role where we couldn’t wear any decent type of armor EVER and a stupid arrow might kill us because we gained hit points at 1d4.

If this makes NO sense, it essentially means you would play a game, and when you went up a level, you threw a 4-sided die. If you rolled a 1, you gained ONE FREAKING HIT POINT per level. If you slipped on a banana peel, you could kill yourself. If a fighter (who could gain—I think—up to ten hit points, or maybe eight, per level) slipped, his friends would just laugh at his low dexterity.

So, other than admitting to my NERD qualities in a former decade, suffice it to say, dragons weren’t my friends.

On the other hand, as a reader, dragons are one of the most iconic creatures in Fantasy. This guy’s fears and desires for power-made-flesh in a sinuous body of armor(!) and could wield magic and fly.

@#@#%@ YOU SUPERMAN! This was a creature of majesty!

RAMY

So, when Ramy and I talked about doing a series of shorts (a tactical publishing decision, along with a realization about just how much time and money we had to put into a new series), he sold me when he spoke the word “dragon.”

The rest of the conversation didn’t matter.

He had me.

We worked through the details for the main character (always, in my opinion, the most important part of the story) as my inner NERD was squeaking “FREAKING DRAGON!”)

If you enjoy dragon stories, LMBPN has many. Those include (already out) Sarah Noffke’s The Exceptional S. Beaufont stories, and Kevin McLaughlin’s Steel Dragon series. In March, I have another dragon collaboration with Martha Carr coming out, the Dragon Trainer series.

Jump on our email list to be told about these and the many other books we have coming your way in the future!

http://www.LMBPN.com/email

Thank you for reading our stories. It means the world to me!

Michael Anderle

Defense of the Nest

Dragon Approved™ Book Three

Chapter One

Alex woke in a room that felt strange. She hesitated to open her eyes.

The darkness was home.

It was closer than family; it was life. No matter how far she got away from it, the darkness was always there. It was part of her in some way, maybe more a part of her than she would care to admit.

She remembered vividly the last thing she’d seen. She almost laughed. “Seen” was a word she had never thought she would have a use for, yet it was what she had seen that had sent her screaming.

It hadn’t been anything specific. Nothing had jumped out or scared her or anything like that. She had just seen—truly seen for the first time. There had been different iterations of what sight could be like for her: Middang3ard VR, the vision provided by Myrddin, and Manny’s multiple eyes.

There was something else too. Her own eyes were working now. Well, not fully. Whatever Myrddin had done had brought her sight, sort of, but it was overwhelming. Adjusting to her new ability would take longer than getting used to seeing through Chine’s or Manny’s eyes had.

And it hurt to look through her own eyes. It hurt so much that she never wanted to open her eyes again.

As in, ever.

Even with her eyes closed, Alex knew someone else was in the room. She could hear their breathing. Thankfully, Alex could also feel fabric wrapped around her eyes. Someone’d had the decency to blindfold her, which meant she didn’t need to let anyone know she was awake.

Whoever was in the room wasn’t worried about talking or checking on Alex, which was great. She needed time to get her thoughts together. Life kept coming at her, harder every time. Being able to see was supposed to be the easy part of joining the dragonriders.

Alex tried to think back to what had happened. She tried to paint the picture in her mind, but she was unfamiliar with the task. Recalling images from in-game was one thing, but the real deal, trying to remember what she’d seen, felt a thousand times harder.

It could be done, though. Since Alex had arrived at the Wasp’s Nest, she’d been filled with the feeling that she wasn’t good enough, that she wasn’t going to be able to complete whatever task was set before her. She had to get over that and soon.

She could start by remembering.

The last image Alex recalled came at her, surrounded by a headache. Even trying to piece together memories visually was enough to make her want to grab her head and scream, but she needed to do this.

What kind of dragonrider was she going to be if she couldn’t even do this one thing?

Alex took a deep breath and hoped whoever was in the room wasn’t paying attention enough to notice. The last thing she could remember was seeing her own eyes through Chine’s , dissecting her own pores, and noting her own hair follicles.

True sight hadn’t knocked Alex on her ass. It had been Chine’s sight that was too much to handle. She was seeing something beyond what human beings saw.

How was that any different than when she was looking through Manny’s eyes, though? He didn’t see the same way humans did. When Manny explained it to Alex, he’d mentioned seeing on entirely different planes of existence.

Yet Manny’s vision seemed dull in ways that made Middang3ard VR seem vibrant.

* * *

Alex could not see it, but she was lying in a bed in Sickbay. For most of the afternoon, she’d been attended to by a host of nurses and doctors trying to figure out what was wrong.

On the surface, it didn’t seem like anything. Her eyes were still technically dead, but that was to be expected since Myrddin couldn’t have cast a successful healing spell on something that was not injured. So, the doctors continued to look.

Manny had the most reasonable explanation. Alex had been asleep while Manny’d tried to explain to the doctors what he thought was happening.

Needless to say, the doctors didn’t listen. Manny was, in fact, merely Myrddin’s messenger. What would he know of these things?

After the doctors left, Manny stayed behind. The breathing Alex had heard when she woke up belonged to him. He’d stayed with her through the first and second day she’d been in the hospital. Not a moment had passed without him at her side.

Alex would never know that, though. Manny had no intention of telling her; he didn’t think it was necessary. He knew someone had to watch over the girl, and he was the most likely candidate.

The door to Sickbay creaked as it opened. Alex tried not to shift or show any sign she was awake. She didn’t want to deal with anyone. Unless they could tell her how she could see comfortably, it wasn’t of any concern to her. She’d rather lie in the dark and think.

She heard Myrddin’s voice; it was soft, perhaps concerned, but she couldn’t read the intention behind his words. Having now seen his face while he’d spoken made interpreting even harder. Alex had the feeling Myrddin was not a man you could understand, not unless he wanted you to.

Myrddin sounded as if he were speaking underwater. There was the vague recollection of a sound, but nothing actually there; it must have been magic. Alex assumed it was the only way he’d be able to do such a thing.

Manny, on the other hand, could be heard loud and clear. “She’s been sleeping for a while. I think we should let her rest.”

Myrddin spoke again, but it was impossible to hear. Alex almost considered sitting up just so she could ask Myrddin to stop the magic nonsense to let her hear what they were talking about. If secrecy was so important, Myrddin and Manny could take the conversation outside.

Manny’s voice cut through Alex’s internal monologue. “I know you don’t think it’s important, but she needs to rest,” Manny argued. “If you push her further, there may not be any coming back. This might be it. And will you please get rid of that muffled effect? I can hardly hear what you’re saying.”

There was a suspiciously loud cough before Alex heard a noise as if someone had just popped a bubble with a needle. Myrddin’s voice came through clear as the crystal palace surrounding them. “Time is running out,” he hissed. “What is wrong with her?”

Manny gave a huge sigh, and Alex had to squash the desire to get up, rip off her blindfold, and glare at them both. “She isn’t able to see through the dragon eyes yet,” Manny explained. “She hasn’t ever seen—really seen, and this? This is something completely new for her system to deal with. You’re expecting a lot from her.”

“We all expect a lot from her. Whether it is just me or a collective force doesn’t matter. She is a necessary member of the dragonriders now. I do not—”

“If she is necessary, then you should make an effort to understand. She’s been seeing mostly through my eyes. It’s different from VR. Beholders see multiple levels of reality at the same time, and we filter it automatically. Everything Alex has seen through my eyes has been unconsciously tempered so it doesn’t fry her brain. What you did with the dragon’s eyes pushed the boundaries.”

Alex stopped herself from grabbing her sheets as she held her breath. “What you did was dangerous, Myrddin,” Manny chastised. “You could have shattered her mind, giving her the sight of a dragon. What were you thinking?”

Alex heard Myrddin cross the room, his robes chafing against his thighs. “I did what I had to do,” he replied. “She needs to see. I gave her the best sight imaginable—to see through the eyes of a dragon. Even you would be envious of such a thing.”

“And because of that, I would know not to bestow dragon sight upon a child who has never used her eyes before.”

“I do not have time for this,” Myrddin spat. “Nor do any of the realms. You will stay with her during her training. Be her eyes if she cannot deal with the eyes of the dragon. We have to get these recruits ready for what is coming. We have…”

Myrddin’s voice trailed off. Alex could imagine him stroking his beard as he looked for the right words to say. She didn’t think he would find them.

Her heart was racing. Myrddin had spoken about her as if she were some tool—necessary and with value, but almost lacking in humanity. What the hell have I gotten myself into? she thought.

Manny coughed nervously before he replied to Myrddin. “Fine,” he finally said. “I’ll stay with her and help as much as I can. But you must realize what you’re doing and the strain you are placing on this girl.”

Myrddin opened the door. “I am completely aware of what I am asking,” he retorted. “If she is not able to perform, then I made a mistake in choosing her, nothing more and nothing less. Provide her the assistance she needs. The training continues. If she keeps up, she keeps up. If she fails, we’ll figure it out from there.”

The door clicked. Alex assumed Myrddin had left Manny alone in the room with her. There was no way to know whether Manny knew she was awake, but she figured it didn’t matter either way.

The way Myrddin had talked about her had filled the dragonrider with rage. Alex wished she had spoken up, but she had no idea what she would have said. Regardless of how single-minded Myrddin was being, he was right. If she couldn’t keep up, she should do something else.

Alex wanted to go back to sleep. She felt like her insides were trying to twist away from her. Maybe she didn’t belong here. Middang3ard VR could have been an extended fluke. The real thing, the real and true war of Middang3ard, might be too much for her to handle.

The fear that hit Alex was not something she’d ever experienced before. It started at her throat and she seized up, gasping for air. Then it traveled down her chest, and her lungs grew tight as if she would never breathe again.

Finally, it pooled in her stomach. Her guts constricted with cramps she’d never felt before. She wanted to scream. The pain was nearly as bad as looking through Chine’s eyes for the first time. I’m not going to be able to do this, Alex thought. I can’t do this.

As Alex descended into a pit of self-doubt, she tried to think of something to encourage herself, but there was nothing. All of the kind words her parents had shared with her had disappeared. It was like they’d never been said. The darkness was looming—the true darkness.

Manny burped softly in the corner of the med-bay. “Excuse me,” he muttered.

His decorum made Alex want to laugh, but she held it in. She didn’t want him to know she’d been even slightly awake for his and Myrddin’s conversation.

At least Manny was here. He apparently didn’t begrudge Alex anything. In fact, he seemed more on Alex’s side than Myrddin did. Manny hadn’t forgotten Alex was a person, not just a thing to be used as Myrddin saw fit.

She stretched her arms and her legs, making a big show of waking up. After she sat and yawned dramatically, she asked, “Where am I?” in a feigned sleepy voice.

When Manny spoke, he sounded much closer to Alex than when he’d been talking with Myrddin. “Oh, thank the gods you’re awake,” he exclaimed. “You’ve been out forever. Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah, a little bit. Hey, Manny, can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure, whatever you need.”

“Could you…help me see? Whatever spell Myrddin cast was too strong. Could I use your eyes again—just until I get used to everything?”

He didn’t bother answering, but Alex felt the warmth behind her eyes. She thought this was the best way to take some of the pressure off Manny. Hopefully, if it seemed like her idea, he wouldn’t be too stressed. “Thanks, Manny.”

She pulled the blindfold up on one of her eyes so she could look at Manny. He floated in front of her, a bright green color, with his tendrils nervously waving back and forth as his largest eye stared at her with hope and worry. “We’ve got to get you rested up. Training starts soon.”

“Will you help me with my training?” Alex asked as she pulled the blindfold down again. Her eyes still weren’t quite there, and it was easier to not use them—for now, at least.

She could hear the smile and genuine enthusiasm in his voice when he replied, “I’d love to.”

“All right, that sounds good. But I need to rest, Manny. Do you think I could be alone for a while? Just by myself.”

“Oh, yes, of course. Not a problem.”

Manny spoke again as he moved toward the door. “Just one thing,” he started. “You’ll be moved into your dorm room during the night. I just didn’t want you to wake up and be scared.”

Having Manny put forth an effort to make her comfortable warmed Alex’s heart. She felt like there was at least one person here rooting for her. “Thanks for the heads up, Manny. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem.” There was the same click of the door and Alex was alone.

Not once in her entire life had there been anything Alex didn’t think she was capable of. Now, in Middang3ard, Alex was struck with the overwhelming idea that being a dragonrider was something she might not be able to do.

It wasn’t enough to believe in herself. She’d believed in herself her entire life. This was something new. She couldn’t quite get her head around it. She kept repeating to herself that she could do this, but every time she said the words, they became hollower.

What if this is not something I can do?

The thought was too much for Alex to bear. She succumbed to a darkness more familiar than that which was growing and taking on a life of its own. Sleep came upon her quickly, and soon after, she was in her dreams, which had never taken on a specific form.

Chapter Two

Alex was jolted awake by a nightmare. She couldn’t control her breathing. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she instinctively leaped from her bed, only to crumple to the crystal floor as she tried to figure out where she was.

The blindfold had fallen off her face. She fumbled around on the floor looking for it before deciding she didn’t need it. Still, she picked it up and felt around a little bit more to understand where she was in relation to the rest of the room.

Once Alex touched the bed, she grabbed the posts and pulled herself closer to its comfort. She sat down and tried to steady her breath and keep her eyes from opening. Even though she’d never been able to see before, she could always feel light on the back of her eyelids.

That light was what called her to open her eyes. It was like a question waiting to be answered.

Suddenly, Alex remembered what Manny had told her—she was going to be moved to her dorm room during the night. Everything felt foreign because she wasn’t in the med bay anymore. This was a new place, nothing else.

Alex listened to see if there was anyone in the room with her, but she couldn’t hear any moving or breathing. I must be alone, she thought thankfully. Now is as good a time to try and figure this crap out.

Just to be safe, she refolded her blindfold.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale and hold it. Alex ran through the exercises she’d been taught to handle her anxiety in new situations before she cracked her lids open.

The light in the room hit her eyes and went straight to the back of her head. She felt dizzy, and like she might throw up. She pitched forward, clutching her gut and closing her eyes as tightly as she could until the pain passed.

When she took another deep breath and tried to open her eyes, she couldn’t. There was no way to get past the light, which was otherworldly-bright. She pulled her knees close and cried softly from the pulsing awakening in her head as she put the blindfold back on.

The sound of the door opening broke her reflections, and she jumped. “Who’s there?” Alex asked, her voice cracking.

The sound of beating wings filled the room, and they were getting closer. “It’s me, Jollies. Just got back from breakfast. Figured you didn’t have any. Hold on, all right?”

Jollies’ fluttering wings disappeared for a moment, came back, then vanished again. The noise continued for a couple of minutes until the door shut completely. Alex felt a tiny soft hand on her wrist. The touch moved down her hand to her finger, grabbing it tightly.

Jollies guided Alex to the desk by tugging on her finger. There were two plates of food there that Alex hadn’t even smelled because Jollies had been moving so fast.

She moved Alex’s hand to a pair of utensils and released her. “Got the best of the best. Don’t want you going hungry or anything like that.”

Alex dug into the food. She was famished. The night of sleep had been good for her head but not her stomach. She ate so fast that she hardly tasted what went into her mouth. She was too busy inhaling everything edible near her. Suddenly she stopped. “Wait, how did you get all this here?”

Jollies laughed, and Alex could hear her zipping around her head. “Pixies are extremely strong. We can lift nearly three hundred times our body weight. You can’t tell when you look at me, but…”

Jollies’ voice trailed off. Alex was used to that happening. A lot of people thought she would be offended at the choice of words, but Alex had come to terms with that a long time ago. It was just a phrase.

Alex smiled to let Jollies know everything was okay. “Don’t worry about it. I know what you mean,” Alex said. “And when I did see you, I wouldn’t have imagined you could lift so much.”

“Yeah, I could probably lift you if I put my mind to it.”

Alex burped loudly as she wondered if she could cram any more food into her stomach. “So, what all did I miss?” Alex asked. “I’m assuming Gill and Brath had something to say about me passing out.”

Jollies didn’t answer at first. Alex wished Manny was there. She’d started to get used to looking at new people as she spoke. Finally, Jollies answered, “Well, Gill didn’t say much,” Jollies admitted. “But Brath…he had a lot to say. It’s probably best if I leave it to your imagination.”

“You know, usually, it’s the opposite of that. You don’t leave it up to anyone’s imagination because they make it worse than what was actually said.”

“Oh, well. He said you’re a pathetic human who will never amount to anything in the dragonriders, and it would have been better for you if you’d never been born.”

Alex sat there quietly for a moment while she tried to compose herself. She remembered what Jollies had told her about Brath, about him losing his home realm. That didn’t make his words sting any less. “Maybe I should have just used my imagination.” Alex groaned.

“You gonna tell me what Myrddin did to you that made you pass out?”

Alex pointed to the blindfold around her eyes. “Well, no reason to beat around the bush,” she said. “Everyone knows I’m blind. Myrddin cast a spell that gave me sight, but it turns out he gave me dragon sight, and it’s tied to Chine. It’s too detailed and too focused, especially for me.”

“Maybe you just need practice.”

Jollies flew over to Alex and landed on her shoulder. “What if I helped you get a handle on all this?” the pixie asked. “I mean, we are roommates and everything. We’re going to be spending a lot of time together. It’s probably like using a muscle.”

Alex tilted her head in the direction of Jollies’ voice. “What do you mean?”

“You know how if you don’t use a muscle for a long time, it gets weak? Since you’ve never really used your eyes, you’re probably not used to flexing that muscle. It might just take practice. Like, we should train you up to it?”

“Sounds like bad anime.”

“That’s one of those human cartoons, right?”

Alex chuckled as she nodded her head. “Do you know anything about humans? Like, our culture or anything?”

“Probably about the same amount you know about pixies. Things I’ve read or was told about. You’re the first human I’ve ever met, not counting Myrddin. I personally don’t think he’s human anymore, though. Now, you ready to give it a try?”

Alex sighed. She didn’t want to look weak in front of Jollies. Asking for help was not something she was particularly good at; it rubbed her the wrong way. But Jollies was offering to give her a hand, and it was fairly obvious she needed the help. “All right,” Alex muttered.

“Great!” Jollies exclaimed as she flew around Alex’s head. “We should start with something small. Like, I will pick something, and you see if you can look at it. How’s that sound?”

It sounded like Jollies was pulling ideas out of her ass, but that didn’t keep her mood from being infectious. “All right. What are we going to start with?” Alex asked.

Jollies grabbed Alex’s hand again and pulled it across the table, resting it on what felt like a clock. Alex felt around until she was certain. “The clock?”

“Exactly. I figured that would be easy enough. Now, take off your blindfold, and let’s get started.”

Alex removed the blindfold and held it in her palm. Her eyes were still shut tightly. She was afraid of opening them. The pain was going to come instantly, just as it had before. She wanted to avoid the pain—and to avoid the failure.

Jollies tapped Alex’s ear impatiently. “Ready?” she chirped.

I’m going to have to figure this out sometime, Alex thought. Otherwise, I can kiss riding Chine goodbye.

The thought of riding the dragon perked Alex up. There had been so much going on that she’d briefly forgotten she was enrolled in a program that would take her back to the skies. She couldn’t give up yet. There was no way she was going to let that possibility slip away.

Alex peeked through her left eye, opening it a crack—hardly at all. The pain was immediate. The light in the room was like a knife to her eye socket. She yelped with pain and shut it before the headache could set in.

Jollies flew down and rested on Alex’s hand. “You hardly even got one open!”

“Jollies, I know that. It’s a lot harder than it seems.”

“I’ll say. It looks like you’re having a very hard time.”

“I don’t know what pixies think is encouraging, but by human standards, you’re terrible at it.”

“Pixies don’t encourage. We motivate. Now get those eyes open! You wanna fly, don’t you?”

Alex felt like Jollies had read her mind, but in all honesty, it wouldn’t have taken too long to figure out. They all were here for the same thing, except maybe Jollies since she could already fly. “All right, I’ll try again,” Alex grumbled.

She pulled down her blindfold again. This time she opened her right eye less than before, and the light felt less aggressive. It still felt searing in its intensity, but more manageable.

Next, she opened her eye a little more, almost as wide as she’d opened it earlier. Now the light was flowing in, and everything was too white and hot. She had to stop. It hurt too much.

Jollies’ voice rang sharply in Alex’s ear. “There you go!” the pixie squeaked. “It’s more open than before! You’re almost there. Just take a deep breath. Concentrate and you’ll get there.”

Alex snapped her eye open. She didn’t want to waste half an hour on this. Her vision blurred as intense color overloaded her brain, but she looked straight ahead and reached out for the clock she knew was in front of her.

Slowly, the clock started to take shape, the colors distinguishing themselves from each other, like the sharp blackness of the clock’s hands. Then the excruciating details became clear. Alex winced as her eyes picked up the specks of dust on the clock’s face.

Now would have been a great time to take a break, but Alex felt she’d accomplished so much already. Her eye was open. She had to see how far she could take it.

Slowly, she opened her other eye. It was the same thing. At first, it was too much to handle, but the longer she kept her eye open and focused on the clock, the less painful the experience became.

Alex had both eyes open now. Everything around her was blurry as she focused on the outline of the clock. She was tempted to look away and figure out what else she could see. Looking through her own eyes was exhilarating, and the pain was already more tolerable.

The dorm room door suddenly opened. Alex jumped at the sound and looked to see who had come in, which was a mistake. The moment she looked away from the clock, her eyes became overstimulated. A sharp pain pierced the back of her skull, and she fell from her chair.

“Who the hell is it?” Alex shouted.

No one answered. Finally, the intruder coughed loudly. “I just came in to check on you,” Manny said. “It’s about time we get you to training. First day and everything, you know?”

“Ugh. Manny, I’m going to need you to give me a hand with seeing again. I’m sorry.”

“No worries, that’s what I’m here for. We’ll get you up and ready in no time.”

Alex felt Jollies land on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Alex. We’ll all help you,” the pixie said. “Or at least me and Manny will. Now come on. We shouldn’t be late.”

Chapter Three

Before Manny led Alex out of the room, he reestablished his psychic link with her eyes. The effect was uncomfortable, to say the least. Alex saw through her new eyes while simultaneously seeing through Manny’s.

She stumbled out of the room, attempting to walk straight. She felt like all the descriptions of drunks she’d read about in her Victorian novels. The only difference was that she wasn’t having anything close to a good time. Well, neither were the fictional drunks, at that level of intoxication.

After being hit with a wave of motion sickness worse than any she’d ever experienced, Alex leaned against the wall to catch her breath. “This isn’t going to work, Manny,” Alex said as she tried to steady herself.

Manny floated over to Alex and rested one of his tentacles on her shoulder. It was supposed to be a comforting gesture, but Manny’s tentacles were somewhat slimy. “Don’t worry, kid. We’ll figure it out,” he said.

“’Kid?’ You sound like one of those old-time detectives from a film noir.”

Manny smiled as some of his eyes widened. “That was a good time in human cinema,” Manny laughed. “No one ever gets tired of Humphrey Bogart.”

Alex stood straight and pulled her blindfold from her pocket. She tied it around her eyes so she only saw through Manny’s eyes. “That’s better.” She sighed. “At least I’ll be able to walk without falling over. So, where are we going?”

“First day is in the stables.”

Alex did a double-take. “Wait, are you saying that the dragons are kept in stables?” she asked. “Some of the most ancient, dignified creatures of all time are kept in the same place as horses?”

He laughed at Alex’s horror. “Trust me, you’ll understand better when we get there,” Manny said. “I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but you’re going to be glad you’re picking up a few tricks.”

He led them farther down the crystal halls, which shifted and contorted of their own accord. Even though Alex knew it was a bad idea, she was interested to know what the crystals would look like with her new eyes. Probably too beautiful to understand.

Manny, Alex, and Jollies rounded a corner, and the crystals pulled apart and created a large archway for them to walk through. Alex was still considering what Manny said about the stables.

It didn’t make any sense for the dragons to be kept in stables. For one, the stables would have to be huge. Chine had been the smallest dragon, and he was twice the size of Alex’s living room. The other dragons were nearly the size of a house.

Plainly put, Alex hadn’t been expecting for her training to involve picking up dragon dung. The thought had never crossed her mind, and she realized right then and there that she couldn’t think of anything she’d rather do less.

Not too high a price to pay to be in the sky, she reminded herself. You’ve changed baby diapers before, and all infants ever do is look cute.

Alex watched as the two crystal archways formed a set of double doors. To the right, the crystals produced a datapad. Manny floated over, ready to press his tentacles to the pad before he stopped and turned to Alex. “Actually, you should be all credentialed,” he said.

She looked at the pad, which had changed so it had the imprint of a human hand. “What do you mean, credentialed?”

“You should be in the Nest’s security system. As a dragonrider, you have access to most of the facility’s operations and departments. The only place I know for sure you can’t get into is the kitchen’s storehouse after hours. Believe me, I’ve tried, but the kitchen is open twenty-four/seven anyway.”

“So, I can come and go whenever I want?”

“Myrddin believes that our recruits should be treated with respect. We don’t hold your hands, and we don’t baby anyone. It should be refreshing.”

Jollies flew over to Alex’s left ear. “I’ve loved it,” she whispered. “Supposedly, all we’re supposed to do is train. The rest of the time is up to us.”

“Do you really think they’re stables? Like, for horses? I mean, I don’t really want to pick up dragon turds. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll do it if I have to. It’s just… Not that I was looking for something glamorous, but…”

“I was thinking the same thing. I can’t imagine a dragon putting up with being confined to a stable, but who knows? Maybe they’re really clean stables because we’re the ones who’ll be taking care of them.”

Curiosity was getting the best of Alex, and she finally decided she didn’t care if she was going to be cleaning up after her dragon. She only cared about flying again.

The dragons in Middang3ard VR had been nothing more than glorified steeds. Alex had been surprised when she heard Chine speak. The stables might be just as surprising.

She pressed her hand to the datapad; it was cold but instantly warmed at her touch. The doors to the dragon stables opened.

The first thing Alex noticed was how large the room was—easily the biggest room she’d been in so far. It was large in every sense of the word. The space gave you a bizarre feeling of having stepped into an infinite snow globe. Alex looked down as she walked. It felt as if the floor were sloping away from her.

As she got her bearings, she was able to take in more of her surroundings. “Stables” must have been a colloquial term for what the room actually was. It was split into multiple sections, most of which had a use Alex could not discern. Only the left part of the room was remotely identifiable. That section held a series of platforms, each big enough for the most massive dragon to rest upon comfortably.

Around the platforms were dozens of robotic arms with some kind of contraption attached to them.

Scientists zoomed by on floating scooters, taking notes or shouting at each other as they passed. It was that section Manny was leading Jollies and Alex toward.

Near the closest platform was a yeti standing nearly seven feet tall and covered in white fur. She wore nothing but a bandolier with a blaster and a rifle sheath attached. When she saw Alex and the other two approaching, she sneered and walked toward them.

Alex was surprised to see a yeti. She’d assumed the creatures that existed in Middang3ard were fantastical, like she’d read about in science fiction books. The thought reminded her of what Myrddin said about aliens and James Cameron, and suddenly yetis made much more sense.

The yeti raised her hand to Manny, showed her palm, and bowed slightly. Manny made a similar gesture with one of his tentacles. “Nice to see you three understand what being prompt means,” Tribble growled.

Manny smiled and looked at his dragonriders. “These two do, at least,” he said with a wink. “Neither of them could wait to get down here. Sally Tribble, meet Alex and Jollies.”

Alex laughed. She really appreciated Manny trying to talk Jollies and her up. From Tribble’s tone of voice, it seemed safe to assume Gill and Brath hadn’t made it down to the stables yet.

Alex raised her hand to get Tribble’s attention. The moment the yeti took notice of Alex’s hand, the dragonrider regretted the action. Tribble stooped so she could look Alex in the eyes. “Are you in a classroom right now?” Tribble growled.

Alex swallowed hard as she prepared to answer. “I thought I was in something kind of like a classroom,” she whispered. “I was just trying to get your attention without interrupting.”

“That meek attitude is going to have to stop real soon. We can’t afford dragonriders who waste valuable time being as polite as possible. If this is a classroom, it sure as hell isn’t an etiquette lesson. Now, state your question.”

“I was just going to ask about these being called stables, ma’am. Am I supposed to call you ma’am? I’m sorry. Never mind. These don’t look like what I thought stables would look like.”

“From what I’ve heard, how would you know what anything is supposed to look like?”

Alex flushed bright red as she tried to think of a retort. Tribble raised her hand, signaling to her to not even bother trying. “I don’t have time for babysitting,” the yeti said. “I’m assuming you can keep up since you’re here, and I’ll treat you thusly. Understood?”

Alex had heard of backhanded compliments, but this was something else entirely. She was happy Tribble didn’t see her as some kind of helpless charity case. That was more than some of the other recruits thought of her. And it was exactly what Alex wanted: to be treated like everyone else.

Tribble turned and gestured toward the giant platforms with robotic arms. “This is one part of the stables,” she explained. “Dragons are not horses or cattle. They are not restricted to a small area. If we did that, they would go insane and rampage through the Nest, killing everyone.”

Tribble smiled, which was an odd look on her face. Her fierce black eyes glowed from behind a wall of white fur, and her sharp fangs glimmered. “They are dignified, majestic creatures,” she continued. “Ours no less so because they were bred in captivity.”

Alex’s eyes widened as she tried to hold in her excitement. “Wait, you’re saying that you guys bred these dragons?”

Tribble puffed out her chest, still smiling. “I’m saying that I bred these dragons, and I expect you all to take care of the dragons who bonded with you. Breeding was the only option for the program. A wild dragon hasn’t chosen a rider in centuries, although I heard rumors of one doing that recently. But rumors are rumors.”

Alex’s heart was racing. She hadn’t known dragons could be bred. And if getting chosen by a wild dragon was such a big deal, she wanted to meet the person who had. “So, if this place isn’t for dragons…doing their business, what is it?”

“I’ll wait until our new arrivals decide to WALK FASTER AND JOIN US!” Tribble shouted.

Alex jumped at her voice and turned to see Brath and Gill slinking toward the group. Brath didn’t bother meeting her eyes, but Gill did. He nodded slightly in acknowledgment before standing next to her. Brath stood on Gill’s other side.

Tribble paced up and down the line of new recruits. “Glad to see you felt like finally joining us,” she snarled. “I’m guessing you missed the memo about promptness.”

Brath sneered and said, “We didn’t get here early to suck up to the instructor. Where is he, by the way?”

Tribble reached down and grabbed Brath by his shirt. “She is right here, Your Highness,” she said before dropping Brath on his butt.

He scrambled to his feet and brushed off his clothes. “I’m sorry, ma’am. Didn’t mean anything by it,” he hurriedly apologized. “We got tied up talking to Myrddin. Won’t happen again.”

“I’ll check on that story, but you better make sure it doesn’t. Now, as I was telling Alex and Jollies, these are the dragons’ stables. They are likely different from any stable you’ve seen so far. You will be cleaning up dragon waste, no doubt.”

Alex felt the air depart her lungs as she settled back into reality. Maybe there was no way around cleaning up crap.

Tribble motioned for the cadets to follow her around the platforms. There, Alex could see that the robotic arms were actually attached to empty mechs. Each mech had a glass container on its backside.

Tribble climbed into one of the mechs and pushed her arms through the integration panel. She moved the mech’s arm and picked up the glass container. “The cybernetic augments and armor that have been attached to the dragons create a kind of biological runoff,” she explained.

Tribble shook the glass, and Alex could see it was filled with a clear liquid. “It is imperative that you take care of the health of your dragon,” the yeti commanded. “They are sacrificing a lot for the sake of you riders.”

“The augments provide stronger psychic connection for dragons and riders. They also enhance the dragon’s speed, strength, and reflexes. And, since you are psychically connected, they improve yours as well. Now, these implants cause a lot of leakage, mostly blood and bodily fluid.”

Tribble placed the glass on the ground and motioned for the cadets to step back. “The fluids are volatile and dangerous,” she said as she cracked the glass with the mech’s foot.

The liquid erupted into a green flame that shot into the air. “This will kill you if mishandled, but more importantly, it corrodes the dragon’s armor, burns their skin, and harms them. So, first thing you’re going to learn is how to take care of your mech. Suit up.”

Alex went to the mech farthest from Brath and Gill. Manny followed a few feet behind her as she climbed inside. It felt snug when she slipped her arm into the integration panel.

A warm sensation flowed from the back of Alex’s head, not unlike when she’d been connected to Chine. She didn’t move the mech until she was ordered to by Tribble, though.

Tribble walked over to the cadets, holding two containers in her hand. A third container was attached to her back. “All right, each of you grab two containers and follow me,” she ordered. “We’re going to get rid of these before your dragons get back and we work with the real thing.”

Alex did as she was told. Moving the mech wasn’t difficult. It responded to her unconscious thoughts as if she were moving her own legs. She went to the two closest containers, picked them up, and lumbered after Tribble.

Tribble led them to a vat that was the size of a crater. Scientists were flying above it and taking notes, some of them flashing lights into the liquid. “This is the Stew,” Tribble explained. “A collection of all dangerous fluids. Used mostly for incubation. We’ve also been researching dragon-blood-based weaponry. Should be ready by the time you’re flying. Now come on. My babies should be getting back any moment.”

Tribble dumped her containers into the Stew. Alex watched as the rest of the cadets did as well. Once they were all done, Alex moved over to the Stew and stared into it. The liquid looked like it was alive, sloshing around and almost reaching out for her. She opened her containers and dumped them.

She turned and jogged to rejoin the rest of the cadets. Brath was sneering at her as usual. “For someone who doesn’t like me, you sure spend a lot of time looking at me,” she chided.

Brath said nothing but scoffed loudly as he walked faster to catch up with Gill, who glanced over his shoulder at Alex but said nothing before turning back around.

Jollies pointed to the ceiling, which had peeled back so the sky could be seen. The dragons were coming. Alex could hardly contain herself. She wanted to jump up and down with excitement. Seeing the dragons flying toward her was magnificent. She held in her excitement, though.

Tribble walked past the cadets. The legs of her mech extended as she rose to the level of the pads. “All right,” she said. “Get ready to greet your partners.”

Chapter Four

Alex walked to Chine’s landing platform as she watched the dragons dance. Dancing was the only word to explain it. They looked as if they were playing a game with each other in the clouds.

This was another reminder of how different the dragons of this realm were. Everything Alex had ever read about dragons stressed their serious nature and the dignified regality of their species. These dragons looked like teenagers joking around.

She scanned the area to see if the other cadets had gotten to their dragons’ landing pads yet, which they had. Jollies was also staring at the dragons. Gill was exploring his mech, obviously unconcerned. Brath, on the other hand, was fussing with his mech quite a bit.

Chine shot a black jet of ether fire, and the rest of the dragons followed suit with their own elemental fire until the sky was filled with an explosion of color. After a moment, they raced toward their individual pads.

Alex had a sudden desire to run away. She’d seen dragons making this freefall dive in-game, and she’d always relished it as a chance to show off for the crowds around her. This time, it was apparent the display of power had nothing to do with her. It was all for the dragons’ entertainment.

Chine led the charge toward Alex. At the last moment, he opened his wings and sent a gust of wind that almost knocked her out of her mech. Flapping his wings, he hovered above his landing pad for a second before touching down.

Mechanical pieces and armor covered the dragon’s body. His head had been outfitted with something like a helmet, with a scanner stretched over one eye and tubes running from what looked like a dragon HUD into his mouth.

The rest of the armor was mostly weaponry. His shoulders were outfitted with plasma cannons, and his hands and feet were covered with energy claws. A crystal chest piece was also fitted with a cannon, and there was a spinal cover.

He looked like a frightening amalgamation of flesh and tech. Alex was glad the tech could be removed since the idea of a cyborg dragon made her queasy for some reason.

Chine’s thoughts cut through Alex’s. Glad to see you made it to the first day of training, Dustling. It appears you are still adjusting to my sight. I must admit, I was very surprised to see you scream and faint. I assumed you were tougher.

Alex started to say something but caught herself. Chine’s voice hadn’t been mocking. He was talking about her reaction in a very matter of fact way. Perhaps that was just the way dragons spoke. Maybe they didn’t see the point of wasting time tap-dancing around feelings.

Alex coughed awkwardly as she tried to think of how to answer him. She looked around at the other cadets. All of them were silently staring at their dragons. Guess everyone’s doing introductions, Alex thought before turning her attention back to Chine.

The dragon yawned lazily as he laid down and spread out his wings. This will be the first time anyone other than my technician has unloaded me. Please be careful of my scales. They are…tender, to say the least.

Alex took a step toward Chine but stopped when she heard Tribble’s whistle. She turned to the yeti, who was still in her mech. “All right,” Tribble shouted, “let’s start with the basics. First, we’re removing the ocular devices. You’re going to find a lot of leakage there. Do NOT touch it with your bare hands.”

Alex nodded and grabbed her container as she stepped onto the landing pad. Her mech instantly compensated by extending its legs, and she shot up to Chine’s eye level.

The dragon watched Alex without blinking. His serpentine eyes noted every one of her movements. You are using the Beholder’s eyes, are you not? Chine asked.

Alex nodded, looking over her shoulder to where Manny was hanging out. She could see almost anything as long as the Beholder was in the room.

For now. She thought about how she could see through Chine’s eyes too. And her own. So many options. And to think, a few days ago, I had none.

She reached out and took hold of the visor. When she tugged it gently, she could see where the tech was trying to fuse with Chine’s scales. As she pulled, she positioned the container beneath the scanner, catching the sticky runoff from the dragon’s scales. Does it hurt? she asked.

Chine snorted softly. Does it matter if it hurts?

I just mean, it looks very painful.

It is uncomfortable at times, but it’s usually unnoticeable. It all depends on the technique of the attendant. Removal has the potential to hurt the most. You have the potential to hurt me the most. So, if you will, be as gentle as you can.

Using the strange magic of the Beholder’s eyes, she checked around her to see how the other dragonriders were doing with their task.

Brath had wasted no time with Furi. He had already pulled off the dragon’s headgear and was working on the shoulder cannons. Furi bristled and smoke floated from the dragon’s nostrils as Brath worked on his armor, but otherwise, he didn’t show any irritation.

Jollies, on the other hand, was having a much more interesting time with Amber. The dragon had shrunk somehow and was a fraction of the size Alex had initially seen. Amber was now roughly the volume of a puma, which was still huge for Jollies.

Amber had left the landing pad almost immediately after arriving. She was currently zipping around the stables at breakneck speed. Jollies was chasing her, laughing maniacally at this odd game of tag. It seemed like both of them were enjoying themselves.

Tribble was watching Jollies and Amber and shaking her head, obviously irritated.

Gill sat silently across from Timber. It looked like they were talking to each other. Gill hadn’t removed any of Timber’s armor but was seated closer to the dragon than Alex had seen anyone approach their steed so far.

Alex caught some of the fluid leaking from Chine’s temple. What’s the best way to do this without hurting you? she asked.

Slowly, Chine instructed. As if you were peeling off a scab.

Alex took Chine’s advice to heart and slowly worked on removing the headgear. She could see why Chine had used a scab as an example. The skin was crusted underneath the headgear from the fluids burning through Chine’s skin. It took a few minutes, but she was able to remove the tech piece.

She slipped her container next to Chine’s temple and collected the oozing black fluid that seeped out of his cracked skin. You have a knack for that, Dustling, the dragon mused within Alex’s head. None of the technicians are as deft or considerate with their hands. I appreciate it.

Chine stretched, letting a small amount of smoke float up from his nose. It reminded Alex of the way cats purr for some reason. So, Chime started, you’re having a hard time using the sight Myrddin gave you? Seeing with your own eyes?

Alex moved on to Chine’s shoulder cannons. She stretched out one of the robotic tools and wedged it between the flesh and tech, slowly prying the two apart. I’m trying to see. Trying as hard as I can. It’s just, it feels like it’s too much. Manny’s eyes are more manageable.

But Manny won’t be with us always. Hopefully not, at least. I’ve heard Beholders make terrible riders. They have no hands. He let out a puff of smoke as a strange gurgling came from him.

A dragon’s laugh? Alex wondered.

Chine sat up while Alex was working, forcing her to extend her mech’s legs to stay close to his shoulders. Perhaps now would be a good time to practice, Chine suggested. You are handling extremely dangerous fluids. Not burning yourself would make a good incentive.

Alex stared at Chine in disbelief. “Wait, are you kidding me?” Alex yelped. “Why would you—”

Alex didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence. The world around her was suddenly disorienting. She was looking straight ahead, but where she was looking had nothing to do with her eyes. Then the view slowly turned to the left, and Alex was staring at herself.

She started to scream but caught it in her throat as she began to lose her balance and fall. She grabbed the dragon’s shoulder with the mech’s hand and steadied herself.

Chine looked away, laughing again. I apologize. I didn’t think about how disorienting it would be to see yourself through my eyes.

The wave of disorientation left Alex. She was glad Chine had turned away so quickly. If he hadn’t, Alex might have fallen and dropped all of Chine’s liquids. “Jesus, you need to warn me before you do something like that,” she shouted.

He blew out smoke as he stretched out. Okay, what about Furi’s eyes? Chine asked.

What do you mean?

This time Alex braced herself against Chine’s shoulder and shut her eyes tight. That didn’t stop her from seeing, though. She was looking through Furi’s eyes at Brath, who was petting the top of the dragon’s nose.

Or better yet, Chine continued, what about Timber?

Alex’s vision switched again, and she held onto Chine’s shoulder as tightly as she could. She—or her eyes, at least—were zooming around faster than she could follow. It had to be Amber, who was flying as fast as she could, looping through the legs of the scientists and around crystal columns.

Motion sickness hit Alex hard, and she had to focus on not throwing up. “Chine, stop it. This is not funny,” she muttered.

Chine chuckled, and Alex forced herself to concentrate on getting back onto solid ground. She directed her mech off the landing pad, and once it was stationary, she jumped out and landed on the stable floor.

The last thing Alex saw before her eyesight returned to normal was Tribble looking at her, shaking her head. If Alex had seen that through her own eyes, she wouldn’t have thought twice, but through Chine’s eyes, Alex could see the disappointment on the yeti’s face.

Not knowing what to do, Alex ripped off her blindfold. She had the feeling that if she was looking through her own eyes and not Manny’s, the dragon wouldn’t be able to mess with her perspective as much. She didn’t quite understand why, but as soon as the blindfold came off, she was no longer connected to Manny.

It was her eyes and nothing else.

The initial shock of light threw Alex off-guard, but she was relieved to find that she could see what was directly in front of her. She blinked a few times before the pain started to set in, and an idea hit her: she could adjust the HUD to dim the light, so to speak. When she did, it was as if she were looking through thin fabric, which was much more manageable.

Once she had oriented herself, she said to Chine, How about you stop with the pranks and we just get to work?

Chine was still gurgling softly.

Alex climbed back into her mech and sprang up to Chine’s shoulders. Unless you want this to be more ‘uncomfortable’ than when the technicians are working on you, she threatened.

Chine’s laughter died instantly. Well, Dustling, I’m glad to see you’re not as timid as you seem.

Was that what this was about? You wanted to see if I’m timid?

Chine shot a short jet of ether fire from one of his nostrils. Alex jumped at both the sound of the fire and the heat. The dragon looked at her and smiled. Timidity is not an attribute that would help on the battlefield, he mused.

I’m not timid. Now let’s hurry up and get this over with.

Alex started peeling off Chine’s armor again. She wished she had something more biting to say to him. Even worse, though, she was annoyed that she not only had to prove herself to the other cadets, but apparently to her dragon as well. Was anyone going to cut her any slack?

Chine stretched out his arm, making it easier for Alex to get to the shoulder cannons. I mean no disrespect, he explained. I have had many a failed rider. It would be best not to lose another.

“Maybe if you tried talking to them instead of putting them through a gauntlet of stupid tests, you might be able to hold on to one,” Alex spat.

Chine laughed heartily as he stretched out a little more. Perhaps. Perhaps.

Alex finally managed to pull off the shoulder cannon and catch the fluid in one of the containers before Tribble called the cadets back.

Tribble instructed them to dump the contents in the Stew. After the cadets were done, she explained to them that they were going to have to do this with much less tech on the field. She showed them smaller fluid-draining devices and the apparatus they could use to absorb and store the fluid.

Brath held up one of the syringes. “How exactly are we supposed to use these?”

Tribble walked up to Brath and flicked his head. “You climb on your dragon, wedge this between the armor, and pull back the plunger,” she growled. “That make enough sense?”

“You mean, I have to climb—”

“If that doesn’t work for your sensibilities, perhaps you have a servant who could help?”

Brath blushed brightly and turned away from Tribble, looking at his syringe.

Alex leaned over to Jollies and whispered, “Why does Tribble keep saying things like that?”

Jollies grinned and flew over to Alex’s ear. “Brath doesn’t want anyone to know, but he’s gnomish royalty. You can’t tell anyone.”

Alex nodded, happy she had gotten some dirt on the gnome, but she didn’t have much time to enjoy the tiny preemptive victory since Tribble was already rushing them back to their dragons.

Alex walked up to Chine, explained the situation, and asked if she could climb on top of him. He said it was no problem. It took Alex some time to find the best way to make her way onto the dragon, but after a few attempts, she was scrambling around, trying to pry Chine’s tech up enough to slip in the syringe.

Before Alex could freak out about scampering around on a dragon, a thought crossed her mind. Hey, how did you make me see through everyone’s eyes?

Chine pulled up his hind leg to scratch the back of his neck. Ether dragons, and I in particular, are very strong psychics, he explained. We attach bonds to everyone around us and can access them easily, although none of those bonds will be as strong as ours. Who knows? That psychic ability might rub off on you as well; it’s not unheard of. Still, it’s unusual for the bond to work so well. Usually, there is some resistance. I don’t know if you so readily receive my signals because you’re human or because you’re blind.

Hmm, maybe both? Alex offered and she continued to ask Chine questions about the nature of his ability. He seemed much more inclined to talk than to pull pranks at the moment. The conversation carried on easily as Alex became more comfortable moving across the dragon.

Draining all his fluid took nearly the entire day. There were slip-ups, obviously. Jollies had managed to lose some of Amber’s armor. Brath had said something to Furi to make the dragon shoot off a couple of fireballs that scorched the gnome’s eyebrows.

The only cadet who hadn’t had any noticeable issues with their dragon was Gill. The two worked together seamlessly, and he was the first cadet to be done with the draining.

The rest of the cadets finished at roughly the same time.

Alex leaped off Chine and sighed with exhaustion. She’d never been very physical, and scrambling around Chine was on a par with rock climbing. After Alex dumped her syringe, she came back to the dragon and sat down in front of him. Thanks for talking to me, she said. And for cutting out all that nonsense.

Chine leaned his head forward until he was staring into Alex’s eyes. You are an interesting cadet, he admitted. I have never met a human. There are still some…cultural differences we’ll have to explore, but you seem like you’ll be a good rider. I believe our binding was wise.

Alex, who was unprepared to have gotten such a sincere response, laughed nervously before extending her hand to Chine. “Me too,” she blurted. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

He laughed when he saw Alex’s hand and took it between his fingers. They shook, and he laid down. You should get some rest, he suggested. We’ll see each other soon.

Alex nodded before walking off. Manny followed behind her. “Oh, snap, Manny. I forgot you were here.”

Manny’s tentacled eyes swung around widely. “Don’t worry about it. I was partially here. We Beholders are able to see many different realms of reality. I can keep myself entertained. Now let’s get some grub!”

Alex yawned and stretched. “To be honest, I’m way too tired for that.” She put on the blindfold and connected through Manny’s eyes. It was a relief. “Do you think you could just escort me to my room, and I’ll catch you tomorrow?”

Manny nodded. “Up to you.” They continued down the hall to Alex’s room, where she said goodbye and shut the door behind her.

There was much Alex wanted to think through. Spending an afternoon with Chine had been more interesting than she expected. She hadn’t thought the dragon would act like a teenager after all his dignified words.

But there wasn’t time to think about that; she was hardly able to make it to her bed. She changed into her pajamas and collapsed onto her sheets.

* * *

She woke to Jollies zipping around the room and singing surprisingly loud for such a small creature. Alex put her pillow over her head. She wanted a couple more minutes of sleep. It was amazing how big a difference five minutes made.

As Alex tried to drift back to sleep, she felt a tug on her pillow. It must have been a polite warning because the next second, Alex’s pillow was ripped off her head. “Okay, okay,” Alex shouted. “I’m up. Why are you in such a chipper mood?”

Jollies stopped flying for a second, stunned. She pointed at Alex’s desk. There was a plate of eggs, bacon, and potatoes waiting for her. “Just thought you might want to have something to eat before class.”

Alex wanted to kick herself. Jollies was trying to be a great roommate, and Alex had already filled the position of the grouchy one. “I’m sorry, Jollies,” Alex started. “I’m just not a morning person. I didn’t mean to bite your head off.”

Jollies shook off the pained look on her face and replaced it with a beaming smile. “Oh, don’t worry about it,” she said. “I’m not a night person. Don’t even try to talk to me after midnight.”

“Midnight? That’s hardly early. What time do you wake up?”

“Around sunrise, like most pixies. The sun pulls us out of bed.”

Alex rolled off her bed and grabbed her sweater. Her head was beginning to hurt. That was when she realized she’d opened her eyes and looked around the room without any problem. It was only now that they were starting to irritate her.

The blindfold was on the floor. Alex grabbed it, shook it off, and then wrapped it around her head. She peered through the fabric, silently congratulating herself. It looked like she was starting to get used to the intensity of her new eyesight.

She stumbled over to her plate of food and dug in. She didn’t bother talking until she was finished.

Jollies sat on the side of Alex’s desk, watching her eat. When Alex was finished, Jollies swooped over and grabbed a small piece of leftover bacon. “You really get hungry, don’t you?” the pixie asked.

“Not usually. Just since I got here. Guess it’s stress-eating. So, how was working with Amber for the first time?”

Jollies smile disappeared for a moment. “She is difficult,” Jollies admitted. “She didn’t want to do anything Tribble was trying to get us to do. I spent most of the day chasing her around, and when we finally got to remove the armor, all she did was complain. This wasn’t what I was expecting.”

“Me either,” Alex admitted. “I remember reading about how noble dragons were.”

“I ran into Tribble and got to talk to her a little bit after class. Apparently, these are very young dragons, and since they weren’t raised by other dragons, their temperaments are different. They’re pretty much like dragon children, maybe even younger than us.”

“Interesting. That would explain a lot. So, what are we up to today?”

“We have class. Introduction to Dragon Hybrid Technologies and Their Practical Applications.”

Alex stretched before scraping the last of her food off her plate. “That’s a mouthful.” She sighed.

Jollies zipped around the room to her dresser, which hung from the wall, stepped behind a curtain, and changed. “I think Dragon Tech 101 will do,” she suggested.

Alex grabbed her sweater off the floor and changed from her pajamas to her pants. She hit her dragon anchor, and her rider armor, composed of nanobots, rippled over her. “Hey, did you happen to talk to Gill today?” she asked.

Jollies poked her head out from behind her curtain. “Why are you asking?” she said, smiling mischievously.

“Just curious to know how another cadet felt about everything. I’m not interested in knowing what Brath thinks until he stops being such a jerk.”

“Makes sense. I’m not really keen on talking to Brath either. He’s nice enough to me, but he’s such a tool to you. But no, I haven’t had a chance to talk to Gill. He doesn’t seem like he does much talking.”

Alex checked the time on her dragon anchor. It was getting close to ten. She couldn’t believe she’d slept so late. “What time are we supposed to be in class?”

Jollies zipped out from behind her changing curtain and hit her dragon anchor. Her armor slid over her body as she spun in the air. “Around ten-thirty. Ready to go?”

* * *

They found the classroom for Dragon Tech 101 easily enough. Alex was getting used to navigating the confusing hallways of the Wasp’s Nest. It helped that Manny was along every step of the way.

The Beholder had met the two girls outside their dorm room as they left. He didn’t seem particularly talkative, and Alex remembered what he’d said the day before. There was a good chance his attention was on another realm of reality.

Glad he’s keeping himself busy, Alex thought. I was starting to feel bad for the poor guy, having to follow me around everywhere. Alex considered telling him she could see through Chine’s eyes and her own, if she adjusted her HUD to dim things, but she didn’t. She wasn’t quite ready to let Manny go yet. As selfish as it might be, she couldn’t discount that she was on a whole new world learning insane things. She deserved another few days of support.

Didn’t she?

Once the dragonriders got to their class, they went inside and took seats in the second row. This class was much larger than their class in the stables. There were at least twenty empty seats. They were still a couple of minutes early.

Around 10:25, the other cadets started to fill the room.

Brath and Gill were among the last to enter. Brath glared at Alex as he walked by. Gill passed Alex without acknowledging her and her heart sank, but she tried to ignore it.

Samantha Choice, their professor according to Manny, entered the room at 10:30 on the dot. She was a tall human with curly bright red hair. She wore the armor of a MECH rider, and her glasses matched the deep red suit. Unlike anyone else in the class, her armor had a collection of badges over her heart.

Choice smiled at the class before taking a seat at her desk in the front of the classroom. She hit her temple HUD and began calling roll. Each student answered in turn, and when Choice got to Alex’s name, she looked up and smiled.

Once roll was done, Choice wasted no time getting to the meat of the class. She projected a large holograph of a handful of dragons and lectured on the history of the “bionic augments” being used on them. She warned the students against using a term like “tech” or “mech.”

Choice pointed at a shoulder cannon and told them, “’Bionic’ is the proper term for what we’ve created for these dragons. It is a combination of living tissue, tech, and magic—the best of each, and we are still refining it. Here are other examples of the bionics we use.”

The holograph changed, showing an underwater breathing apparatus. “Only a few dragon breeds are capable of surviving underwater,” Choice explained. “The lack of air and substantially increased pressures can burst the dragons’ lungs, which are quite delicate.”

Choice swiped right on the holograph to a similar breathing device. “From underwater bionics, we’ve also created some that allow our dragons and riders to breathe in space for limited amounts of time while equalizing rider and dragon body pressures.”

The professor swiped to another holograph as Alex leaned back in her chair. Wow, she’s just going to plow through this, isn’t she? she thought.

Her assumption was correct. Choice continued to scroll through bionic piece after bionic piece. Many of them put what Alex had seen in Middang3ard the game to shame. The game only had what Choice would have called basic armor and weapons.

The upgrades Choice showed them ranged from bionic pieces attached to the spine to increase speed and flight stability or internal implants to allow dragons to change their elemental attacks.

Alex’s favorite bionic piece was a scale refractor invented based on experiments done with octopi. The piece allowed a dragon to control each individual scale for unparalleled camouflage capabilities.

Choice turned off her holoprojector as she sat down and crossed her legs. “These bionic upgrades are available to our top-tier riders,” she explained. “The higher you go in our ranks, the more access you have. The best bionics go to the best riders. Do you understand?”

The class filled with murmurs of assent and agreement. “All right,” Choice shouted. “Break for lunch and head to your next class.”

The cadets all got out of their seats and made their way to the door. As Alex went to depart, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see that it was Choice. “Hold back for a second,” the teacher requested.

Alex stood off to the side and watched the rest of her classmates leave. She tried to avoid Gill’s and Brath’s eyes.

Once the cadets had cleared out, Choice motioned for Alex to come to her desk. “I just wanted to give you some tips,” she explained. “Don’t get dragged down by being human here, all right?”

Alex didn’t understand what Choice meant. She’d been more concerned about being the blind girl than being human. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“First-year cadets always have a problem mixing. You’re going to get hazed. Just remember, by the end of the first year, there aren’t elves, gnomes, or dwarves. There are dragonriders, and that’s it. Whoever fails to grasp that won’t make it. Do you understand? You ever need anything, just let me know. Now get the hell out of here and eat some food.”

Alex didn’t waste any time leaving Choice’s classroom. She was a little too intense for her. Manny was waiting outside the door and followed Alex as she tried to navigate to the mess hall. It took time, but she found it soon enough.

The cadets had already split into their cliques. Alex didn’t want to wait around and see where she was going to sit, so she grabbed her food and found a place away from the crowd. After a couple of minutes, Jollies flew over and sat with her.

She put her plate on the table as a few other pixies came over to join them. “I was wondering what was taking you so long,” Jollies said. “Hey, guys. This is Alex.”

The small group introduced themselves, but before they could say more, Alex felt eyes staring at her. She turned to find Brath behind her. “Can I help you with something?” she asked.

Alex couldn’t stand to look at Brath and that ridiculous beard of his.

Even though Alex knew Brath was her age, the beard gave him the appearance of a very grouchy old man. “What’s with your HUD?” Brath asked. “It’s all misty, like you’re wearing a blindfold or something.”

Alex looked at the other cadets. People were starting to take notice. This would become a scene shortly. She knew enough about high school to recognize that this was a defining moment for how the rest of the cadets would see her. “I’m kind of blind,” Alex said, “if you haven’t noticed.”

“Was that what Choice wanted to talk to you about? Give you special attention because you’re the little blind girl?”

Alex scoffed and turned back to her food. “You already used that one, Brath. If you don’t have anything original to waste my time with, you can leave.”

Brath stood there, his jaw slack with surprise. “Don’t you talk to me like that, human!” he shouted.

“Oh, a jab against me being human? Didn’t see that one coming. You want to make fun of me for being a girl next, or have you run out of crappy tropes?”

Brath stood there in silence for a while, then folded his arms and walked off as the rest of the cadets started to snigger. Soon they lost interest, and a few even patted Alex on the back as they passed her.

After the cadets cleared out, Alex could see Gill watching from a distance. Their eyes met, and Alex felt her face flush as he unceremoniously walked off, leaving her alone with the butterflies in her stomach.

* * *

Alex had to attend one more class before the day was over. Jollies, Manny, and Alex headed to the Introduction to Dragons class.

Most of the cadets from the previous class and lunch were in the classroom already. Brath was nowhere to be seen. Gill was sitting at the back of the room, staring into the distance. Alex had a very difficult time taking her eyes off him.

Fier Timles walked into the room. Alex was confused as to the teacher’s species. Fier’s skin was scaly like a dragon’s, as were most of the facial features.

Two long horns stretched from Timles’ forehead to lower back.

A long, thin robe covered the body and wrapped around the neck. Fier was extremely slender and looked more like a snake than a dragon. Alex couldn’t discern the teacher’s gender, but she decided Fier must be female. Any creature with so many amazing curves must be female. Maybe there weren’t any differences for her race.

Fier took a seat at her desk and put up her feet. “All right, this is one of your prerequisites,” she droned. “Not my favorite class to teach because it’s boring as all hell, but we’ll go ahead and get through the worst of it.”

A holographic image of a dragon appeared in front of the classroom. “Take notes if you want,” she said. “There might be a test or something. Here’s your first type of dragon: classic red. They’re what everyone thinks of when they hear ‘dragon.’”

Fier went through each slide, pointing out the differences between species of dragon. It wasn’t anything particularly new to Alex. There was a lot of talk about dragon biology, but Alex didn’t pay close attention. The teacher didn’t look excited about delivering the lecture, so it couldn’t be too important.

The lecture about the various species was straightforward. Lightning dragons were born of thunder and lightning and were partially composed of electricity. Fire dragons were cousins of red dragons, being born in fire and commanding the power of flames to lesser or greater degrees.

Earth dragons struck Alex as interesting. They seemed to have the least elemental power, and Fier rushed through their description quickly. Alex cast a look over her shoulder to see if Gill was paying attention.

Gill was balancing his pencil on his fingertip. He looked up and caught Alex staring, and he placed his pen back on the table and turned to gaze straight ahead at Fier.

“Now, ether dragons have an interesting history,” Fier continued.

Alex’s ears perked up, and she turned her attention back to Fier’s holographic slideshow. “Even less is known about ether dragons than earth dragons. We know that they’re the youngest species, and their elemental properties fluctuate greatly from dragon to dragon.”

Fier switched images again, showing an ether dragon amid a massive explosion. “We’ve read tales of ether dragons able to create some kind of gravitational vortex, which could allude to the real source of the dragons’ power. The last story of that happening was a couple thousand years ago, though. It doesn’t seem like any living ether dragon knows about this ability.”

The class continued for almost three hours, and the teacher took no breaks. She described species after species. There were many more species of dragons, drakes, and wyrms than Alex would have ever guessed.

At the end of the class, Fier packed her bag, turned to the cadets, and said, “All right, there you go. Learning everything you can about every kind of dragon isn’t going to help any of you. Research your individual dragon and go from there. Read your textbook. Next class is…I don’t know, I’ll email you or something.”

Fier rushed out of the class faster than any of the students.

Jollies flew over to Alex, giggling. “Guess dragonriders aren’t much for theory, huh?” she asked.

The two walked out of the room and went over to where Manny was waiting. “Guess not,” Alex agreed. “Thank God, because that was the most boring class I’ve ever sat through in my entire life.”

* * *

Around dinnertime, the cadets started to pour out of their rooms. Alex went to the mess hall with Jollies, but after she grabbed her meal, she told the pixies she had planned to video chat with her parents around that time and left the mess hall as fast as possible. She hadn’t made any plans to talk with her parents; avoiding a repeat of her last meal was her real plan. A meal alone sounded refreshing.

Once Alex was back in her room, she changed into her pajamas, crawled into bed, and pulled up her HUD as she ate. She searched through the different textbooks uploaded onto her HUD until she found Fier’s textbook, A History of Dragon Species.

Alex opened the book and lost herself as she slowly worked her way through her meal. By the time she finished, it was only 8pm. Whatever, Alex thought. I deserve an early night.

Chapter Five

The next morning, Jollies and Manny led Alex down various hallways to the training yard, where the Nest opened to a field that stretched as far as she could see. Well, see through Manny’s eyes, at least.

There were more cadets than Alex had seen before. It seemed as if the whole field was filled with people of various ages. The oldest one Alex saw was a dwarf who might be in his sixties.

Fier and Tribble were separating cadets by groups, which Alex noted ran from their year in the academy up to fourth. Jollies explained that some cadets were able to skip grades. They graduated to the next year based on performance, not age.

Once the two instructors had the cadets sectioned off, Tribble took all the cadets who were second years and up and headed toward a forest that loomed ominously in the distance. The rest of the cadets would be training with Fier, and she had them line up.

Fier paced up and down the two rows of students. There were at least twenty first-year cadets, and the teacher did not look impressed with any of them. “All right, all of you have been bound to a dragon,” she started. “And all of you have experience on top of a dragon in some regard.”

Fier stopped to look at Alex for a moment. “Even if some of you have only practiced in VR, you’ll catch on eventually. Do you have any questions?”

A young, black-haired elvish male raised his hand. “Er, ma’am? What exactly are we going to be doing?”

“The first thing you’re going to do is pay attention! You got that?”

He slunk back and hung his head. Fier smiled. “All right, so the first thing you’re going to do is call your dragon down to you. After that, you’re going to have thirty minutes of free airtime. That’s exactly what it sounds like, but I want you back here in thirty minutes. Then it’s the obstacle course. You got it?”

“Yes, ma’am!” the cadets shouted.

Fier raised her dragon-anchor arm. “Raise your arm, and that’ll activate your dragon anchor,” she commanded. “Then you concentrate and call to your dragon. How well they hear you is determined by your binding, which is determined by the relationship between the two of you. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Fier’s dragon anchor lit up and flashed a vibrant red light. In the distant sky, a bright twinkling was visible. Within seconds, a red dragon came screeching from the sky and landed directly in front of the teacher. The force of the dragon’s impact shook the earth, causing some of the cadets to fall.

Fier leaped into the air and landed atop her dragon. She held her hand over the dragon’s neck, and her anchor glowed. “No fighting whatsoever!” she shouted. “I don’t want you to even look at each other in the air. Respect each other’s space and get used to riding.”

Fier’s dragon spread its wings and took to the air without giving any of the cadets a second look.

The cadets glanced at each other, unsure of who was going to be the first to call their dragon. Finally, a dwarf walked away and raised his dragon anchor to the sky. He stood there for some time before he realized that his dragon wasn’t coming. He slunk back to the crowd.

Brath laughed obnoxiously before he walked away from the rest of the cadets. He raised his dragon anchor, which glowed bright red. There was a vicious roar from above as the clouds parted.

Furi, the red fire dragon, came plummeting down with his wings curled around his body. He only spread them at the last minute, creating a gust of wind that knocked over a few cadets as he unleashed a plume of fire from his mouth. Furi reached down and opened his hand for Brath to climb into, and the two took off.

Alex leaned over to speak to Manny, who was floating next to her. “Hey, do you think we could get away from the rest of them? I don’t really want to do this with everyone watching, and I have to take you up there with me and everything.” She thought about leaving him behind and using Chine’s eyes or her own, but decided against it. She wasn’t quite ready.

You’ll have to do it sooner or later, she admonished herself.

Later.

Manny nodded, his eyes drooping. “Yeah, I know I gotta go with you,” he grumbled as they walked off.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I know this must be getting old and—”

“Oh, it’s not you, kid. I don’t mind helping you. It’s just that I’m not one for flying, if you haven’t noticed. No legs and arms, you know. Hard to keep from getting sick. But don’t worry. I’m here to help you.”

Once Alex was happy with the amount of distance she’d put between her and the other cadets, she raised her dragon anchor. All right, Chine, she thought, directing her intent to the dragon. I hope you can hear me.

Alex’s dragon anchor glowed a deep, violent black. There was a loud shriek from the sky, and a bright black light flashed. Alex watched as Chine came flying toward her. He was nothing more than a black streak and was moving faster than she’d ever imagined a dragon could.

Chine hit the ground and skidded across it. His claws dragged and tore up the grass as he tossed his head back and shrieked loudly, calling the attention of every cadet who hadn’t managed to summon their dragon yet. Gods, finally. Chine sighed. I thought you would stay down here all day!

Alex couldn’t help but smile. This was the first time Chine seemed happy to see her. It’s good to see you too, she replied.

Chine leaned to the side, spreading his right wing out so Manny could float up it. He pulled his wing back quickly. You, on the other hand, are going to have to get up here yourself.

How am I going to do that? Alex asked.

Just jump!

Alex took a deep breath. Chine was easily six feet taller than her, but maybe the dragon knew something she didn’t. It was about time to start trusting him. She crouched and then exploded upward, and landed on Chine’s back. She instinctively reached down to catch herself, her dragon anchor locking her feet and hands to the dragon.

Chine laughed heartily. That’s what I like to see. Now let’s get into the air.

Uh, how do I do that?

You know exactly how to do that.

Alex nodded, trying to invoke all the muscle memory from when she was in VR. In this place, she was strong enough to pull off such a feat.

She pulled her dragon anchor back, which caused Chine to rear up on his hand legs. Alex spread her feet apart from each other and pushed forward. Chine spread his wings and flapped them to take off.

He soared into the air as Alex pushed the dragon to go faster. The wind whipped Alex’s face, making its way through her HUD and blindfold and bringing tears to her eyes.

Guess these eyes are working just the way they should, she mused as she focused on seeing through Manny’s eyes only. The Beholder’s eyes didn’t tear up like hers. Another benefit of being a magical creature, huh? she thought.

Alex felt like she was going to slip right off Chine. Her heart was racing as she struggled against the wind.

It was so different from being in VR. The speed, the wind, and the chill were all unexpected. She wasn’t sure if she enjoyed it, but this was what she was here for.

She pulled her dragon anchor to the right, and Chine followed her lead by barreling with closed wings before free-falling.

If Alex could deal with a free fall, she’d be able to deal with anything. Behind her, Manny was attached to her like a baby in a backpack, screaming over the wind.

Chine laughed again, the hearty noise ringing in Alex’s head. Don’t you think this is a little advanced for you, Dustling? he asked.

Alex concentrated on listening to the wind and the way it rang in her ears. She knew how to do this. She knew she knew how to do this. Aren’t we supposed to trust each other?

Well said, Alex. Well said.

The ground was fast approaching. Alex could see the specks she knew to be her classmates. She didn’t want to get too close. She wasn’t trying to scare them.

Or worse, embarrass herself.

Alex pulled back on the dragon anchor and Chine spread his wings and came to a complete stop, jerking Alex forward and almost knocking her off-balance.

Her dragon floated in midair, a safe distance from her fellow cadets. Well done, Dustling. Well done, the dragon boomed in her mind.

She raised the dragon anchor and Chine took off, soaring into the sky but slower than before. She was starting to get a handle on how the slightest movement from her dragon anchor hand guided Chine’s speed and direction.

She could slow down, speed up, and turn with the most minuscule of movements.

The two lazily floated through the sky and Alex watched the sun filter through the white clouds. For the first time since Alex had arrived at the Wasp’s Nest, she felt like she belonged.

She lost track of how long she was up there. Chine was singing softly under his breath, but Alex didn’t hear his tune in her mind. She felt it coming from him, his whole body vibrating with his low hum.

Her HUD dinged loudly, and she opened a message from Fier. It was time to come down for the second part of the day: the obstacle course.

She guided Chine back down to the ground and he landed beside Timber, Gill’s earth dragon. Gill briefly acknowledged Alex and then turned his attention back to Fier, who had just landed.

Fier pointed at an obstacle course that had been magically set up in the sky. It was difficult to tell what each section was because it was so far away, and Manny’s eyes were apparently not made for long distances.

Jollies found her way to Alex and stared at the course as well. Fier’s voice rang out over the cadets talking or murmuring. “All right, these are timed runs. Think of this as a race. You’ll go through it alone, but we’re scoring you against each other. First up, Gill.”

Alex watched as Gill’s dragon Timber took off into the sky. It was difficult to see what he was doing with Manny’s eyes. She thought about asking Chine to look through his, but it was all becoming too much. Alex had gone from having no eyes to having three sets—her own, Manny’s, and Chine’s—and she still didn’t feel comfortable with any of them.

Chine’s voice broke through Alex’s anxiety. Ah, one of these. I’ve seen the other dragons do them before. They seem…somewhat pointless.

Alex giggled in her head. Why do you think that?

I doubt any obstacles we find on the battlefield will be so simply laid out.

One by one, the other cadets were called to the air and finished the course. After nearly twenty minutes, Alex was the last one. Fier called her name, and Alex raised her dragon anchor.

Chine shot toward the first large circle as fast as he could. Once he passed through the hoop, a dozen more appeared to their right. Some of them were on fire, others moving. “Looks easy enough,” she said, racing toward them.

As Alex flew, her vision blurred. Manny must be getting motion-sick again, she thought.

Alex passed through the next hoop and went for the third one. As she got closer, the circle turned and a blaster popped out from its side. She swerved to the right to avoid the blast. “What the hell was that?” she shouted.

Chine rolled to the other side, doubled back, and dove through the hoop, which caused four more to appear below them, each covered in blasters. Don’t all obstacle courses have a threat of death? he asked.

Alex went for the closest hoop, reached instinctively toward Chine’s left wing, and fired his shoulder cannon. Likewise, Chine shot a jet of ether fire, scorching the blasters. Alex pushed forward to gain speed, but Manny’s vision blurred again.

The world descended into darkness for a second as Manny leaned over the dragon’s side and threw up.

He righted himself, and Alex’s vision snapped back into place. She saw she’d overshot the hoops, so she pulled hard to the right, and Chine swerved with her while firing another plume of ether fire to knock out a plasma blast coming their way. Thank God Chine knows what he’s doing, she thought.

Alex managed to move through each of the hoops and slowed drastically so Manny wouldn’t get sick enough to black out again. After Alex passed through the last hoop, she looked around to locate more. Once she was satisfied they were done, they headed back to the rest of the cadets.

A holographic bulletin board was floating in front of Fier. The times of the other cadets were posted. Alex pushed her way to the front to see where she was listed.

Alex Bound. Her name was all the way at the bottom—the slowest time of any of the cadets. There’s no way I’m going to be able to live this down, Alex thought as she slunk away from the other cadets, avoiding their eyes. See you later, Chine, Alex thought as she waved at the dragon.

Chine bowed politely, his eyes dancing. You shouldn’t think anything of it, Dustling, Chine told her. None of the other cadets are working under your conditions.

Thanks.

Chine took off when Fier dismissed the cadets for the day. Alex intentionally tried to avoid Jollies as she made her way back to her room, where she laid on her bed and pulled her pillow over her head. At least the day was over.

Chapter Six

Alex woke with a headache. It wasn’t anything new, but that wasn’t what was keeping Alex from getting out of bed. She kept replaying the race from the day before. She could see Brath’s sneering face peering at her from underneath his beard.

Losing to Brath would have been bad enough, and that in itself was humiliating. Coming in last was too much to deal with, though. Alex had never lost anything to that extent before. She wanted to be a good dragonrider so badly.

She rolled over in bed and pulled her covers over her eyes. I thought that Myrddin said VR was supposed to be like pre-training, Alex thought. Doesn’t feel like I’m remotely ready for any of this.

She tried to remember lessons she’d learned from Middang3ard VR, anything that would transfer over to help her with the issues she was currently experiencing. She couldn’t think of anything.

Middang3ard VR hadn’t been a particularly encouraging place in-game. The game world was somewhat pessimistic. Most of the hope and joy players found was from relationships built with other players, something Alex significantly lacked in real life.

Jollies seemed like the only person who was still interested in helping Alex or making her feel at home. Manny had just about checked out, relegating himself to a pair of floating eyes, probably watching inter-realm television in his head or something like that.

Alex thought maybe she should put forth more of an effort to talk to Manny and see if he had any insight on the situation. He was an eldritch creature and might have some kind of wisdom to drop on her.

That was when Alex remembered she hadn’t talked to her parents about any of this. She’d completely forgotten they were only a phone call away. All she had to do was send them a message.

Alex pulled down her HUD and scrolled through its options until she found the messaging option. She picked the video message option. A mirrored screen of herself showed on her HUD. Alex tried to fix her hair and did her best to smile. “Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad,” Alex started.

She deleted the video and started again, forcing a more organic smile. “Hey, guys, just wanted to say hi. Haven’t talked to you in a bit, and I miss you.”

Alex’s brave front fell apart quickly. She realized she’d never really had friends before. Her parents were pretty much all she’d had until she’d started playing Middang3ard, and even then, it was just Jim. It wasn’t all the teasing that was getting to Alex. It was loneliness.

Tears welled up in Alex’s eyes, and she didn’t bother trying to fight them. She just wiped them off as she talked. “Yeah, it’s pretty lonely here,” Alex cried. “My roommate is pretty cool, but she has all her friends and stuff and, I don’t know; some people are real jerks just because I’m blind and human. I don’t know which one is worse for them. So, I guess I don’t know. What would you guys do? I’m kinda at a loss here. All right. Looking forward to hearing from you guys. I love you a lot.”

Alex disconnected the HUD and pulled her sheets back over her head. Being lonely was harder when you were around other people. She hadn’t realized she’d missed out on that part of life from being homeschooled. It was hard to miss people if you didn’t see them often.

The door to the dorm room opened and closed quickly. Alex decided she wasn’t going to pull the covers down. Maybe Jollies would leave her alone if she thought Alex was asleep. The pixie probably had other things to do than try to cheer Alex up anyway.

Alex was wrong. Her blanket was ripped away from her. She curled into the fetal position and shivered from the sudden cold.

Jollies flew to Alex’s face and smiled brightly. “Up and at ‘em!” she shouted. “You’ll miss breakfast again if we don’t move. Jeez, you really can sleep, you know that? I’ve never met anyone who can sleep as much as you.”

Alex squinted and rubbed her eyes until Jollies came into focus. The pixie was bright, even brighter in the morning light. “What can I say? I’m very good at sleeping.”

Jollies brightened even more as she zipped around Alex’s head. “I know you’re pretty committed to moping around in the morning, and I don’t want to burst your bubble but…” She pointed at her eyes and then Alex’s.

Alex didn’t know what Jollies was miming at first, but then it clicked. She was looking at Jollies without her blindfold on, and without Manny anywhere near her. She was using her own eyes. “Holy cow!” Alex exclaimed.

That must have been what the slight headache was when she woke up. She hadn’t even noticed she wasn’t wearing her blindfold.

Jollies clapped her hands in excitement as she zipped around. “All right, if that’s the case, I’ve got something you have to see with your own two eyes,” Jollies exclaimed as she flew down and grabbed Alex’s finger, yanking her out of bed.

Alex practically fell to the floor. She couldn’t believe how strong Jollies was sometimes.

The pixie shoved Alex out of the room. “Come on! They’re serving drow food. Yummy, yummy, yummy!”

In the hall, Alex turned and glared at Jollies. “What’s drow food?” Alex asked.

Jollies smiled wide, and her color shifted to a deep purple. “Mostly snails and moss,” Jollies answered. “Just kidding. Not about the snails and moss. About them serving it. They’re not serving drow food. Just thought if I said that you’d move faster because of your interest in…you know. Now come on.”

Jollies flew over to a poster of a large, white man with a golden beard on the wall just outside their door. He was extremely muscular and had beautiful eyes and a smile. Alex thought he was kinda cute.

Alex took a closer look at the poster. “Oh, yeah. He’s cute, I guess,” she said as she shrugged.

Jollies’ color changed to dull blue. “I thought you’d be more excited.”

“Uh, who is it?”

“What? You don’t know? I was trying to make this place more human-friendly. Don’t human girls like Chris Hemsworth?”

Alex laughed so hard her ribs hurt. “Jollies, I was blind for my entire life,” she said. “I have no idea what Chris Hemsworth looks like.”

Brath and Gill stepped out of their room. Alex hadn’t realized it was directly across from her and Jollies’. Gill stopped to look at the poster and nodded. “Thor, huh?” Gill said softly. “I think Loki’s cooler. The whole trickster god thing is pretty sweet.”

Those were the first meaningful words Gill had spoken to Alex. She hadn’t heard his voice before. It was extremely soft, and far too deep for someone his age. Her knees started to buckle.

Brath pushed his way forward to see the poster. “Psh. Some tough-looking human?” Brath croaked. “I should have assumed that a human would have such stupid taste. Why not a real hero like Gromnor the Gruesome or Aberdeen the Aberrant?”

Alex crossed her arms and leaned against the poster. “Screw you. I think he’s hot,” she spat. “He can kick ass and looks good doing it.”

Brath scoffed loudly and fluffed his beard before he walked away. He looked over his shoulder at Gill. “Hey, are you coming?”

Gill nodded and turned his attention to Alex. “Catch you around,” he said as he walked off.

Alex watched him join Brath as Jollies took a seat on her shoulder. “I bet I know who you want a poster of,” she teased.

Alex’s eyes shot daggers at the pixie. “We are not at that level of joking yet!” she exclaimed.

“We’re roommates and breakfast buddies! We are on that level. And why do you want to get rid of the poster? I was just trying to help you feel at home. I didn’t want to do anything to make anyone tease you more.”

“No, leave it up. It’s like a middle finger to Brath. He’s probably just jealous that he’s not that tall and buff.”

Jollies’ color shifted to white. “Middle finger?”

Alex gave Jollies the finger. “It’s a human thing. It’s a sign of disrespect.”

“Oh, all right. Yeah, let’s give Brath the middle finger, then!”

Jollies and Alex both flipped Brath off behind his back before they broke into giggles and went back to their room to get ready for the day.

Chapter Seven

Alex walked through the mess hall wearing her blindfold again, carrying the plate of food Jollies had brought her. She followed the pixie, who was leading her to a table full of her friends. Alex hadn’t gotten a chance to meet any of them the day before, but honestly, there were so many, she doubted she would have remembered their names anyway.

The plate of food Alex held made no sense to her whatsoever. There was something yellow that looked like it could have been meat and then a pile of black mush that sizzled as if it were on fire. To top it all off, there was something that looked suspiciously like cheesecake.

None of it smelled appetizing. The pile of black mush smelled a lot like sulfur.

Alex took a seat next to where Jollies sat, if you could call it sitting. Pixies didn’t really sit down and eat. They placed their plates on the table and gather together in a swarm, dipping down to randomly to grab a morsel.

Alex tried to keep up with their conversation, but as she had noticed the day before, it was nearly impossible. The pixies spoke English, but they all seemed to talk at the same time and far too fast for Alex to catch what was being said.

That didn’t bother Alex. She’d wanted to spend the morning alone with her thoughts anyway. This way, it wouldn’t look like Alex was intentionally trying to spite her roommate. Besides, Jollies didn’t seem to notice. It was the best of both worlds.

Alex replayed the look Gill had given her earlier by her room. It was nothing like how he or the rest of the cadets had looked at her before. There was something soft in his glance, almost as if he were curious.

Curious. She could handle that. She was curious about him as well. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would hang out with Brath. He acted too soft and too artistic. All Alex could pick up from Brath was that he was a raging jerk.

Alex poked at her pile of black mush. Well, I’m here to try new things, she thought before tasting the mush. The flavor was overwhelming. It was like medium-rare steak and mashed potatoes at the same time.

Putting her spoon down, she eyed the mush, then she took a bite of the yellow piece of meat. It was sweet, almost as sweet as candy, and chewy like taffy. Then the sweetness was replaced by an almost salty taste.

Last, Alex took a bite of what looked like cheesecake. Surprisingly, the cheesecake tasted just like cheesecake.

All in all, Alex could say she really liked drow food.

As she dug into the strange new food, Brath and Gill walked past her table. Brath stopped, stared at what Alex was eating, and nudged Gill. “Check it out,” Brath teased. “Guess the human finally got sick of being one and wants to try being a drow.”

Gill looked at Alex, who had her mouth full of the mush. “Or perhaps she just appreciates the refined culinary skills of my people,” Gill said drolly.

Brath put his plate on Alex’s table and sat down. Gill sat next to him.

Alex took a deep breath and contemplated getting up and leaving, but she knew better. Brath was going to continue challenging her until she beat him. Running would just postpone the inevitable. Besides, Alex was tired of running. She was going to stand her ground.

Brath took a savage bite of a leg of mutton. “So, how long do you think it’s going to take you to find your way into the Dark One’s dungeons?” the gnome asked.

Alex didn’t look up from her food as she replied, “Probably twice as long as it’s going to take you, and that’s if he doesn’t end up stepping on you accidentally.”

The pixies stopped talking as the byplay between Brath and Alex caught their attention. Jollies left the swarm and landed on Alex’s hand.

Brath laughed viciously. “You talk a big game for someone who couldn’t even finish the race in a reasonable amount of time,” Brath shot back. “From what I heard, you had the worst time of any cadet in the history of the academy. Slowest dragonrider ever. That’s if you even make the cut.”

Alex casually took a bite of the meat. “Better than the smelliest dragonrider,” she retorted. “Or is that gaseous cloud of body odor a gnome thing? I’ve been wanting to ask, because, to be frank, you’re the only gnome I’ve met who smells like the backside of a troll.”

The pixies erupted into gales of laughter and their bodies shimmered from bright red to pink. Jollies giggled. Alex tried to pretend none of this was affecting her. Her heart was racing, though.

Brath’s face reddened behind his white beard. “You can talk as much trash as you want. I’m still going to knock you on your ass at the joust!” he shouted as he slammed his fist on the table.

Alex’s face must have betrayed her surprise because Brath burst out laughing and pointed a snide finger at her. “Look at you! You don’t even know there’s a joust today. You probably don’t even know what a joust is.”

“I don’t need to know what it is to beat you at it!” Alex shouted back.

The rest of the mess hall was starting to pay attention to their fight. Gill just ate quietly at Brath’s side as if he couldn’t hear either of them.

Brath climbed onto the table so he was at eye level with Alex. “Doesn’t matter what you think you’re going to do,” he said. “I’m not letting a lazy human who thinks she’s better than everyone waltz in here and become a dragonrider.”

Jollies flew between them. “Hey, come on, Brath,” she said. “Do you really want to be the guy who’s known for picking on the blind girl?”

Alex’s pride flashed red-hot. She stood and gently pushed Jollies out of the way so she could face Brath. “I’m not ‘the blind girl’ or ‘the human,’” Alex shouted. “I’m Alex Bound, and I’m the one who’s going to massacre you at the joust today.”

The door of the mess hall burst open, and all the cadets jumped.

Fier had come in. She was wearing her armor and she did not look pleased. “What the hell are you cadets still doing in here?” she shouted. “Don’t you know better than to ride on a full stomach?”

Fier hung her head as she shook it. “Go get suited up! I want you all on the training field in a half-hour. GET MOVING!”

Chapter Eight

The cadets gathered in the same field as the day before. It had changed dramatically, though. Bleachers had been set up, and crystal walls created an arena.

Between the bleachers was a grandstand where the instructors sat. There were two dragonriders Alex didn’t recognize. She looked for Jollies in the crowd to ask if she knew who they were.

Instructions were blaring over a loudspeaker, explaining how the joust was going to work. Multiple matches were going to run simultaneously. The winner of each match went on to the next round.

Where these jousts differed from basic tournaments was that each player was going to be scored on technique by the two judges. These scores would be compared across all cadets, and that was how the winner would be chosen.

Fier stood on the grandstand with the other instructors and raised her hands to silence the chatty cadets. “The rules are simple,” she explained. “You all know how a joust works. Whoever knocks the other player off their dragon wins. That’s about the only rule we got. And don’t worry, we’ll make sure you don’t die, so don’t hold back.”

Alex pushed her way through the crowd that was slowly starting to split up and form into their cadet year groups. She found Jollies with the rest of the first years. “Hey, Jollies. Who are those other two riders?”

Jollies’ wings flashed a bright yellow as she flew in a circle. “Oh, right, you don’t know them, do you?” the pixie asked. She pulled down her HUD and projected a holographic image of one of the riders.

He was a grizzled, middle-aged human. A scar ran down the side of his face, and his eyes looked as if they had seen horrors. “This is Roy,” Jollies explained. “He’s one of the most decorated Mech-riders ever. He fights in this weird dragon mech thing. You’ll have to see it to believe it. He’s been in more battles than any other rider.”

Jollies flipped to the next rider, a lanky, sturdy-looking woodland elf. His ears had a regal point to them, and he was not smiling. “And that’s Toppinir. He’s another veteran. Some people think he’s the best dragonrider ever. Like, the greatest in history.”

Jollies shut down her HUD as the two of them made their way to the bleachers. “They sometimes pick squires from the winners of the tournaments,” Jollies said, “but that hasn’t happened in a long time. I think Toppinir’s last squire died in battle almost a decade ago.”

The first joust got underway. Two cadets Alex hadn’t seen before took the field. On the opposite side, two of the older cadets flew into the air.

The joust took place too high in the air for Alex to see, so she politely made small talk with a cadet next to her who was raving about how much she wanted to meet Roy. Jollies was surprisingly quiet while she watched the match.

One of the cadets was knocked off his dragon, and he yelped loudly as he plummeted toward the ground. Suddenly, a web-like net popped into existence, and the cadet bounced up and down before disappearing. He reappeared at the far end of the bleachers in an area aptly titled the Loser’s Box.

Alex turned to Jollies and said, “They don’t have to be so mean about it.”

Jollies giggled and nodded in agreement. “I feel like some of the professors really enjoy being jerks to us,” she admitted.

Two more matches took place, and Alex lamented her inability to see what was going on. She thought about using Chine’s eyes if he would let her but thought better of it. Instead, she concentrated on using her own eyes and ignoring Manny’s view. Her vision was still very limited and overwhelming, but she was adjusting slowly. She needed to practice to get used to her gift.

Fier’s voice rang over the loudspeaker. “Next up, Brath and Jollies!” she shouted.

Jollies squeaked loudly when she heard her name and turned to Alex. “Wish me luck,” she squealed before flying off.

On the other side of the bleachers, Brath stood and made his way to the field.

Jollies and Brath raised their dragon anchors into the air, and their dragons rocketed toward them. They chose lances from the weapons rack and took off.

Alex took a deep breath and squinted, and when she focused her right eye, she could see Jollies and Brath crystal-clear.

The two cadets had already started their fight. Jollies was whizzing past Brath as his dragon spewed fire everywhere in complete and utter disregard for safety. Luckily, Jollies was too fast to be hit.

Jollies leapt from her dragon and flew straight for Brath’s head. Her lance hit him in the forehead, knocking him backward. His dragon, Furi, lunged upward as the rider lost his balance.

Amber, Jollies’ dragon, swept under the pixie and scooped her up.

Alex was impressed with Jollies’ tactics. Brath and Furi were too large for her to overpower, so splitting up with Amber and trying to knock both Brath and Furi off balance made the most sense.

Jollies went for Brath from behind this time. She leaped off her dragon again, landed on Furi’s back, ran up to Brath, and swooped his legs out from under him. When Brath hit his dragon’s back, Jollies’ lance magically extended, unseating him.

He fell through the air but managed to hold onto his lance. He raised his dragon anchor and Furi turned in midair and came shooting toward him. He slipped under Brath to save his rider from falling.

Jollies wasn’t ready to back off. After getting back on Amber, she flew toward Brath as fast as she could, electricity crackling off her dragon’s scales.

Brath turned with his lance in his free hand, and it extended and flattened into the shape of a flyswatter. He smashed the lance against Jollies’ dragon, sending the pixie flying through the air.

Furi let out a condensed fireball that hit Amber in the chest, and the electric dragon fell toward the ground.

Brath raised the fly-swatting lance again and landed his final blow, and Jollies’ little pixie body crumpled. She followed her dragon toward the ground.

The invisible magic web popped up again and caught both rider and dragon, then it sent Jollies to the Loser’s Box and Amber to who knew where.

Alex stood so she could meet Jollies in the box, but Fier’s voice over the loudspeaker stopped her. “Alex Bound and Gill Lowborn. Meet on the field.”

Fear rose in Alex, but she pushed it down. This wasn’t the time for that; she could be afraid later. Right now, she had to prove herself. She jogged down to the field to meet Gill, who was calmly making his way over.

The two stood facing each other. Gill didn’t look concerned when he leaned over and asked, “Aren’t you taking Manny with you?”

Alex shook her head. She’d thought this over. Manny was what had held her back last time. She could see well enough through the blindfold, something only Jollies knew, and she planned to use that to her advantage.

Fier’s voice came from the speaker again. “Begin!”

Both riders grabbed lances and raised their dragon anchors to the sky, but Alex turned and ran away from Gill. She was still holding her anchor high but pointing it ahead of her.

Chine slammed to the ground a few feet in front of her. She leaped onto him, turned, and aimed her lance at Gill. She wasn’t sure how the magic worked, but she envisioned her lance stretching as far as it could.

The lance responded to her psychic command and went flying toward Gill, whose eyes widened in surprise. He jumped out of the way as Timber landed next to him.

Alex retracted her lance and pulled back on her anchor, sending Chine soaring into the air. Well, that was an interesting tactic, the dragon mused. A little aggressive, wouldn’t you say?

It’ll knock him off-balance, she replied. He’ll be thinking the entire time, ‘How did a blind girl do that?’ Half of any fight is mental.

Chine laughed loudly in her head as he turned in the air to face Gill. I like this part of you, Dustling. You have a warrior deep within you.

Alex and Gill stared at each other across the skies. Alex’s heart was fluttering; she wished she could better see Gill’s black eyes, but this wasn’t the time for that. She could see the outline of him and his dragon, and that was all she needed. Her crush could wait until later.

Gill made the first move. He flew at Alex full-speed, which caught her off-guard. She had assumed the drow would be much more calculating in his strategy. He seemed like such a passive person.

Alex pulled Chine to the left, narrowly avoiding Gill, who hadn’t even bothered to raise his lance. He must have just been planning to have Timber tackle Chine. Why would he do that? Alex thought. He could be knocked off as well.

Gill wasted no time. He turned instantly and went for another attack. Alex hardly had a moment to recover and narrowly missed being knocked to the ground.

Timber looked over his shoulder, opened his mouth, and sent a concussive force through the air that hit Alex square in the chest.

The force of the blast almost knocked her off Chine. Her chest heaved in pain, and she doubled over. She hadn’t been prepared for Gill to attack her straight on. Also, she couldn’t see the attack. She tried to remember what she’d read about earth dragons the day before.

All of a sudden, her late-night reading came back to her. Chine! she said. I need you to watch for Timber’s invisible attacks. I can’t see them. I can only see outlines. Can you dodge them on your own?

Her opponents were flying toward her again. She heard the blast charging in Timber’s throat, but she couldn’t tell where it was going to come from. Easily. Chine chuckled as he turned to the right and dipped so the blast went past him.

Alex was about to congratulate him when Gill’s lance came shooting toward her. She wasn’t able to move in time, and it hit her shoulder. She almost lost balance, but then she gripped more tightly, strengthening her anchor to Chine. As she pulled right and let the dragon roll in midair, hoping she wouldn’t fall while the dragon was upside-down.

The gamble worked. Alex didn’t need to be right-side-up anyway, and now she had a plan. Chine, you can briefly turn invisible, right?

For a few seconds. Maybe a minute.

All right. On my signal, use your invisibility.

Alex didn’t bother turning him upright. Instead, she flew under Gill and stomped on Chine’s back as the signal to camouflage himself.

Chine shimmered out of sight, and Alex waited for Gill to take the bait. “Tell me when his lance hits you,” she commanded.

Alex heard the lance hit Chine’s stomach as the dragon said, “He’s made contact. Alex released her dragon anchor as she held onto Chine’s back, then she scrambled up his side as fast as she could until she got to his stomach.

Alex knew invisibility only applied to the person who could turn invisible. When her dragon popped out of sight, all Gill would see was Alex, a defenseless target. She banked on him attacking before thinking the odd sight through.

Alex reached out and grabbed Gill’s lance, pulling hard.

Out of reflex, Gill leaned back and called his lance back, which was just what Alex was waiting for. She held as tightly as she could to the lance as it withdrew back to Gill.

She stretched out her lance and focused, launching it at Gill as his was returning to its normal length.

It hit Gill in the chest, and he lost his grip on his own and went flying through the air. Alex attached her dragon anchor to Timber and pulled as hard as she could, fighting with Timber for control. It was just enough.

Timber pulled hard to the left as his rider went flying off the dragon’s right side. Once she heard Gill hit the net, she detached from Timber and leapt off as she called to Chine, Please don’t let me fall!

The dragon swooped under Alex, and she landed on his back. I believed you had a warrior in you. I didn’t realize she was a madwoman.

Chine and Alex touched down to the cheers of the other cadets. Alex rushed over to the Loser’s Box while Chine took off.

Jollies was waiting for Alex and exclaimed, “That was amazing!”

Gill walked up behind Alex and bowed. “It really was. You use…very unorthodox tactics.”

Alex blushed and waved away Gill’s compliment. “Let me take a seat with you guys.”

The three of them watched the next few matches, Alex occasionally pulling up her blindfold on one eye, practicing being able to see for longer periods of time. Finally, Fier called her name again. “Alex Bound and Brath Gimbel to the field.”

Alex leaped out of her seat. “Wish me luck,” she said before turning to Manny. “Come on. Let’s go.”

Manny jumped at Alex’s voice. “Wait, me? You did so well on your own.”

“Nope, you’re not getting out of this. I need you.” She had a plan that needed Manny’s sight to pull off. In fact, it needed more than just his sight. She’d need to use all her eyes.

Brath was already waiting for Alex on the field. He didn’t bother looking at her, just raised his dragon anchor before Fier said anything. Within a few seconds, Furi hit the ground behind him, radiating smoke and heat.

Alex raised her own and Chine promptly landed behind her, ether smoke seeping from his nostrils. Alex leaped onto him, and neither she nor Brath waited for Fier to declare the fight had begun.

The dragons rose higher than any of the other dragonriders had, and the riders glared at each other. “All right, human, time to learn your place!” the gnome shouted.

Furi shot a blast of fire at Chine as he and Brath flew around, trying to flank Alex. Brath pointed his lance, and it went flying toward her.

She pulled back on Chine, doing a barrel roll that set Manny screaming. The dragon shot ether fire, canceling out Furi’s blast.

Furi screamed in rage and bolted toward Chine, and the two dragons collided. Furi’s claws raked across Chine’s chest.

As the dragons fought, Brath pulled off his cloak, then ran up Furi’s head, leaped through the air, and tossed his cloak on Manny.

The cloth wrapped around Manny as if it were alive. Alex turned and tried to pull the coat off Manny but couldn’t. It must have been magic.

Brath ran back to his spot on Furi’s back. “Gotcha!” he shouted. “What’s a dragonrider without her eyes?”

Alex reached out to Chine. Hey, can you keep everything steady? she asked. Don’t let go of Furi, but give us a big show, all right? Lots of roaring and fire.

Chine’s voice boomed in Alex’s head. I can do that, he said as he produced another jet of black ether fire.

Alex stood up, grabbed her blindfold, and pulled it off. The light was dazzling at first, but she closed her eyes to concentrate before opening them again. Now she saw the world through her own eyes.

Everything was clear. She could see each scale on Furi’s and Chine’s bodies. She could tell how far away Brath was and see the confusion in his eyes. He’d expected her to use Manny’s vision.

He had underestimated her, and he was going to pay for that mistake.

Don’t let go of Furi, all right? she requested of her dragon.

Alex ran down Chine’s back, raised her lance, and jumped, stretching the wood out like a pole. Vaulting over the dragons’ heads, she passed through the chaos of fire and kicked Brath square in the chest.

Brath went flying, but Alex didn’t stop there. She punched him off the big dragon, then leapt off Furi, aimed her lance at Brath, and concentrated. The weapon struck Brath’s chest, and he fell faster.

The invisible net popped out beneath him, and he disappeared as soon as he hit it.

Alex’s lance caught the net and stopped her from falling. She swayed back and forth on the pole until Chine sped down to catch her. The net disappeared and Chine landed, then Alex jumped off his back, leaving Manny to fend for himself. She was greeted by the roars of the crowd of cadets. He finally pried the cloak off his head and floated disgustedly off the field.

Fier’s excited voice rose over the crowd. “And after an insane gamble, Alex Bound is the winner of the first-year cadets jousting competition!” she shouted.

Roy and Toppinir, who were sitting at Fier’s side, rose as well. They lifted their hands to quiet the crowd. Alex turned to face them, not knowing what else to do since she was still in the middle of the field.

Toppinir stepped forward, his hands still extended. “We have the collected points of all champions.” He paused, letting the tension build. “And the champion of today’s jousts is Alex Bound, with fifteen thousand and thirty-five points for technique, skill, and unrivaled showmanship!”

The first-year cadets broke into cheers as they tackled Alex, who had quickly wrapped her blindfold back around her head. Jollies was buzzing in Alex’s ears. “Did you hear that, Alex? You won!”

Toppinir’s voice came over the loudspeaker again as he leaned over and spoke with Roy. “I haven’t seen a match like that in years,” he whispered, despite it being loudly broadcast. “We should keep an eye on that Bound cadet.”

Jollies grabbed Alex’s cheeks. “By the gods, you did it!”

Alex laughed as she pried the pixie’s hands off. “Yeah. Yeah, I did.” She laughed. “I might not become a squire, but that kind of shout-out has to count for something, right?”

“You bet it does!”

Alex let herself get lost in the cheers of the crowd. She’d done it; this was her victory, and no one could take it away from her.

Chapter Nine

The pixies and the other new cadets brought Alex into the mess hall atop their shoulders. They had broken into a chant in a language Alex didn’t recognize. She assumed it was Dwarfish, from what she’d heard in Middang3ard.

The mess hall was filled with the sounds of victory. The tables were decorated with the colors of the first-year cadets, and bottles of pixie mead had been placed on each. Pixies couldn’t drink alcohol, so the beverage was often provided to the underage cadets.

Alex was taken to the largest table in the mess hall, which was covered with plate upon plate of decadent-looking meats and desserts. The cadets tried to get her to take the seat at the head of the table, but she opted out, instead choosing to sit toward the middle.

Jollies took a sip from one of the pixie-sized cups as she flew toward Alex. “That was amazing, Alex,” she gushed. “I didn’t know you could ride like that. Hell, I didn’t know any first years could ride like that!”

Alex laughed and tried not to let the praise go to her head, which was extremely difficult since this was the first good dragonriding-related thing she’d heard about herself. “Eh, it wasn’t anything,” she said. “I’m not going to say I just got lucky, but there was some luck in there.”

The excitement from the joust hadn’t worn off. The rest of the cadets were all talking excitedly among themselves, going over each match play by play.

Alex could feel the change in the room and in the way others were looking at her now. It felt good not to be seen as some kind of disabled charity case. It felt even better to shove Brath’s stupid face in his failure.

Brath and Gill were sitting together across the mess hall. The gnome was stewing over his pixie mead, staring into the cup as if he could arrive at some understanding by contemplating the liquid within. Gill was talking quietly with a light elf who was sitting next to him.

Alex didn’t realize she had been staring at Gill for some time. Even with her blindfold on, she could see him nearly as clearly as if she weren’t wearing it. It helped that Manny was on the other side of the room, snacking as usual. He had apparently recovered from their wild flight. Alex was looking forward to not relying so heavily on the Beholder’s assistance.

Suddenly, Brath slammed down his cup. The table he was sitting at went silent as he stood and stalked over to Alex. “How’d you do it, human?” Brath asked. “You must have cheated!”

For a second, Alex worried that Brath had heard the brief conversation she’d had with Chine, but it wouldn’t have mattered even if he had. She’d told her dragon she wanted to play it straight. No tricks. She wanted to win on her own merits.

Alex leaned back in her seat, feeling more like her old self—the confident dragonrider who had impressed all of Middang3ard VR. “No such thing happened,” Alex replied, trying not to sound like she was gloating. “I won fair and square. Don’t be such a sore loser.”

“I want a rematch. I’m not losing to a stinkin’ human.”

“You already lost to a human. A rematch will just mean you get to lose again. Can your pride handle that?”

Brath didn’t say anything, just glared at Alex. “What’s your problem with me anyway?” she asked. “Why does a blind human being a dragonrider affect you in any way? It’s not like there are a limited number of cadets who can make it through.”

“Because I don’t want my ass getting scorched because some human can’t keep up. That’s how it’s been with all of you. When the gnomish and dwarfish realms asked for help, your people did nothing. You just sat on the sidelines and watched our worlds disappear. The only reason you’re here is that you humans suddenly realized you were in danger too.”

Alex could see the pain in Brath’s eyes. He looked close to tears. For the first time, she understood how much he was hurting. “Brath, I didn’t have any control over that,” she told him softly. “I only just found out about the war, and as soon as I did, I decided to come. I wouldn’t—”

“I don’t care!” he shouted.

The two stared at each other as the rest of the cadets watched.

The door to the mess hall exploded open as the second-year cadets burst into the room. “Where’s the chick who won?” one of the elvish cadets shouted.

The first-year cadets all pointed at Alex.

The second-year cadets stormed to her table and surrounded it. The elf who had shouted upon entering the mess hall stood in front of Alex. “How in the gods' names did you pull that off?” he asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be blind?”

Alex pointed at her blindfold. “Formerly blind, but I’m still working on it,” she coyly replied. “So, are all dragonrider cadets whiny sore losers?”

The elf flipped Alex’s plate over, and some of the food hit Jollies in the face. “There’s no way a blind first-year beat all of us second-years without cheating,” the elf exclaimed.

Alex stood and leaned over the table. “If you want, us first-years could come give you lessons,” she countered. “I’m pretty sure Jollies and Gill could show you a few things. Even Brath could; he still beat all you second-years.”

Brath looked at Alex, obviously surprised she had included him in the list.

The elf leaned forward, nearly nose to nose with Alex. “Or we could just wipe the floor with you all right now,” he threatened.

Jollies zipped over to the elf, wiped the food off her face and smeared it across his. “How about we end it right now?” Jollies shouted before flying down, picking up a whole plate of food, and shoving it in the elf’s face.

The elf stepped back and wiped the mashed potatoes off. His eyes were red with anger.

Jollies grabbed another handful of food and tossed it at him, shouting, “Food fight!” before flying away, grabbing Alex by the shoulder, and pulling her under the table.

Gill and Brath followed them as the mess hall exploded into a battlefield of edible projectiles, liquids as well.

Alex and the other three crawled farther beneath the table as they tried to avoid being hit by the artillery.

Jollies turned to Alex and Brath, grabbing each of them by their collars, and forced them to look at each other in the eye. “Okay, I know you guys have issues with each other,” the pixie said. “But right now, we have more important things to deal with. Do you want to get wrecked by those second-years?”

Alex and Brath gazed at each other. She sure did not want to look like something a sick second-year had thrown up. “All right, I get it,” she said. She extended her hand to the gnome. “Truce?”

Brath glared at Alex, his eyes still full of hate. “Just because there’s a food fight, it doesn’t mean your people didn’t leave us to die,” he growled.

“Yeah, you’re right, but even if my people didn’t help yours, it doesn’t mean I’m not here to help you. I’m right here in front of you, aren’t I? That means I’m here to fight the Dark One, just like you, and I’ll protect anyone who needs it.”

Brath looked at Gill, who nodded silently. “Fine,” Brath conceded. “Truce.”

Gill smiled, the first time Alex had seen him do so, and reached up to the table. He felt around, brought a handful of the black mush down, and took a quick bite. “Are you guys ready to show the second-years that seniority doesn’t mean squat?” he asked.

Jollies, Alex, and Brath nodded in agreement. “All right,” Alex said. “Let’s show ‘em why the first-year cadets destroyed the second-years in the joust.”

Alex rolled out from under the table and shouted, “For the glory of the first-years! May we live in legend!”

Alex tossed a handful of peas at the closest person, only to get a face full of pink and blue cake thrown hard enough to knock her off her feet. Jollies and the rest of them slid out from under the table and grabbed whatever they could before chucking it.

Gill and Brath knelt and helped Alex to her feet. The gnome grabbed Alex’s blindfold, which had been knocked off, wiped it clean, and handed it to Gill, who promptly wrapped it around her head.

The mess hall was quickly earning its name. Food was flying from every direction, and it was impossible to see which year was attacking whom. Some of the dwarves had decided to sit the fight out and were casually enjoying lunch in the midst of the pandemonium.

Manny was content to nonchalantly float through the mess hall, licking up anything he came across.

Alex stood back to back with Brath, flinging whatever they could get their hands on, whether it was coming from the tables or they were pulling it off their clothes.

A gnome came running up to Alex, screaming loudly. Brath stepped to the side, pushed Alex out of the way, and decked the gnome with a heavy handful of elvish peas.

Alex smiled at Brath. “Hey, thanks!”

Brath shrugged. “Don’t mention it.”

Suddenly, a shrill, ear-piercing noise broke through the chaos. Everyone stopped as the door to the mess hall was flung open. Fier, Professor Choice, and Tribble all ran in.

Fier, eyes wide with fury, surveyed the situation. “What in the nine realms is going on here?” she shouted. “Oh, by the gods, there’s no time! Every student to your rooms! NOW!”

The students looked at each other for a moment before Fier shouted again for them to get moving. There was no time to ask questions. The cadets funneled out of the mess hall as the teachers hurried them along.

What is going on? Alex thought.

Chapter Ten

As the cadets rushed toward their rooms, Alex tried her best to figure out what was going on. The instructors didn’t seem to have any time to explain. They weren’t even the ones herding the students to the rooms; that responsibility had been left to a handful of the scientists.

Alex, Jollies, and Manny had almost reached her room when she heard a violent explosion. It was impossible to tell how far away it was, but it sounded as if a bomb had gone off in the Nest.

Another explosion went off, this time much closer. The entire hallway shook, and specks of crystal fell from the ceiling. Are we being attacked? Alex thought as she looked around.

Adrenaline pumped through her body. She’d never been in an actual fight, let alone something on this scale. The closest she’d gotten was the food fight she had just participated in.

She turned to Jollies, who was flying behind them. “What’s going on?”

Jollies flew higher to get a better look at the situation, then zipped back down to Alex and said, “I have no idea. I can’t see anything.”

Gill, who was at their side, nonchalantly said, “It sounds like an attack.”

“How? Isn’t the Wasp’s Nest magically hidden from everyone?”

Gill nodded, his face grim and resolute. “Any spell can be broken if you hit it hard enough,” he replied. “Maybe someone knows what they’re doing?”

Brath opened his door and stepped inside, leaving it open for Gill, who quickly followed. Gill waited for a moment and then called to Alex and Jollies, “You guys should stay in here. It’d be safer for us to be together.”

Jollies zipped into the room without asking any questions. Alex and Manny followed, and Gill shut the door quietly, then walked to a corner, sat down, and folded his legs.

The boys’ room had an entirely different personality than Jollies’ and Alex’s. To begin with, it was covered in flowers and plants Alex had never seen before. There was an altar to some god in the corner next to Gill. The other side of the room was covered in rugby posters and holographic statues of gnomes, so it was clearly Brath’s side.

Brath climbed onto his bed and opened his book. “Make yourselves comfortable,” he said with only the slightest hint of disgust in his voice.

Alex sat down across from Gill, still taking the room in. “Can we be attacked so easily?” she asked.

Gill stretched his arms as he re-crossed his legs. “Definitely,” he said softly. “We are at war. It isn’t uncommon for the Dark One to attack training grounds. Easiest way to make sure no one can get new recruits or backup.”

Jollies was still flying around, her colors shifting as if she were a buzzing rainbow. “Yeah, it happens all the time,” she agreed. “Just a few months ago, the pixie infantry’s training grounds were attacked. Completely wiped out. It could happen to anyone.”

Alex reached toward Jollies, sensing how distraught she was. “Hey, come here,” she suggested.

Jollies stopped in midair and flew to Alex, landed on her chest, and scooted close to her ear. Alex could hear the pixie’s teeth chattering. In an attempt to take Jollies’ mind—and her own—off what was happening, Alex pointed to the holographs near Brath’s bed. “Hey, what are those?”

Brath’s eyes rose above the pages of his book. “Those?” he repeated. “That’s my family. It’s all I have left of them. They were in the dwarfish realm when it was taken over. That’s why I’m here. It was either this or an orphanage. I figured I couldn’t kill the Dark One from an orphanage.”

Alex was shocked by Brath’s frankness. She knew there was a war on an intellectual level since that was the reason she was here, but she hadn’t understood how it had affected those she was training with. She wanted to kick herself for being so naïve.

“I’m sorry,” she finally said.

Brath returned to his book. “The Dark One will be too,” he muttered.

Alex turned her attention back to Gill, who had his HUD visor on. “What are you doing?” she asked.

Gill pulled the visor up for a second, smiling in a way that made his sharp incisors gleam. “Something I’m not supposed to be,” he said. “Pull up your HUDs and I’ll patch you through.”

Jollies and Alex opened their HUDs, and security camera footage started to play. Alex could see the crystal corridors of the Wasp’s Nest. “What is this?” she asked.

Gill explained, “I hacked into the system. Check this out.”

The camera angle changed. Alex saw a group of ten orcs hacking at one of the crystal doors. When the angle changed again, different orcs set explosives before running away. “Crap, I guess we are being attacked,” she murmured.

The angle changed again. A group of orcs was running down the hall and screaming with their swords raised. “Wait,” Gill whispered. “Is that a human poster? Zoom in.”

The camera zoomed in—it was the poster of Chris Hemsworth as Thor. The orcs stopped in front of it, confused, entranced, or both.

“Oh, no!” Alex exclaimed. “They’re right outside.”

Author Notes Ramy Vance

January 15, 2020

At the time of this publication, New Years wasn’t too long ago. And one of the most common things that’s comes up with New Years are resolutions… But I no longer do them. I’ve found that resolutions are usually things I can’t do. Give up chocolate, exercise more, stop leaving my underwear all over the house (wait… I would never do that… Looks around guiltily.)

That’s why I’ve traded New Years’ Resolutions for themes. 

In 2018, my theme was to live outside my comfort zone. To symbolize that, I started to wear two bright and mismatching socks every day. You see, when I was a kid, I was briefly bullied because I didn’t wear name-brand jeans. I don’t want to blow it out of proportion. It lasted a few months, and the kid leading the charge is most likely in jail now (so in the long run, I win). But it was still a sore point in my childhood and something that lingered. So wearing mismatching socks did make me uncomfortable—the operative word: did… 

I’ve been wearing them for two years and have gotten over that phobia. 

In 2019, my theme was my year of YES. One of my mentors (perhaps you’ve heard of her: Martha Carr) told me to say YES to everything. At first, I thought she was insane (I also thought about that Jim Carrey movie). But seeing her success and realizing that she probably knew some things I didn’t, I began saying YES to almost everything.

Because of YES, I helped organize 20Books Edinburgh. It was a hell of a lot of work and stress, but in the end it was worth it. Whereas I can't say loved every minute of it, I did love that I got be part of bringing together so many talented people. (PLUS I met all of the GoneGod World authors there.)

 It also saw me doing more traveling than I have ever done in one single year. Mostly conferences and author events (with one three-day trip to Austin for an author gathering). It was an exhausting year, but so, so worth it.

 The results were incredible. I learned so much… Saying YES literally supercharged my year.

Now 2020 is here and it’s time for a new theme. This year is CONSISTENCY. I will endeavor to be consistent in everything I do. That means writing, eating healthy, family time, doing the boring tasks that I hate but are good for me… And I’ll be consistent in forgiving myself should I be inconsistent, too. 

I’m looking forward to this theme. 2018 and 2019 really were supercharged years for me. 2020 will hopefully be the same. 

What was your New Years’ resolution or theme? I’d love to hear from you… 

As always, you can find me in my FB Group: House of the GoneGod Damned! Or sign up to my NL, where I promise to consistently (but not annoyingly) email you :) 

Cheers! Here’s to one hell of a 2020! 

Author Notes Michael Anderle

January 18, 2019

Thank you for reading this story and checking in on us in the back!

I agree with Ramy’s themes idea.

Last year, I had put a goal for our company to accomplish publishing four hundred (400) books. We didn’t make it (we were between three and four hundred somewhere), but more than that, the goal I set wasn’t the end goal. (Editor’s note: We published on the high side of 350)

The end goal was to “Test Ourselves.”

Meaning, I wanted to push our company so hard, we knew what we could accomplish and to grow our backlist, providing us a large group of stories for our fans to read. It was a “BAHG,” which is short for Big Hairy Audacious Goal.

Otherwise known in the company as “Are you f##king kidding me?”

In 2018, where the theme was “Let’s prepare for 2019 where we do 400 books,” we built an infrastructure towards the goal of making that happen. We put on our thinking hats and sharpened our pencils to figure out how to get to 400. What stories were we going to do? Who (exactly) were going to be doing it? How would we get 400 covers done? How many words of editing would we need to be able to accomplish?

(The answer is a metric sh##load.)

We went running through 2019 like a bunch of teenagers trying to catch free cash raining from the heavens. It was a lot of fun, but man oh man, was it dangerous!

Lynne: I edited between 800k and 1.2m words per month last year, as did my co-editor. Holy schnikes! No wonder we’re tired! But we did learn a lot, mostly that we could not sustain that pace, so for me, see the theme below and substitute “the editing team” for “ourselves.”

We broke (more) than a few things, but in the end, we survived. We are stronger, more capable, and more than that, we are wise beyond our years. (Editor’s Note. I’d say wiser. “Wise” just challenges us to come up with better, more creative errors.)

How can I say that? Because wisdom comes with doing, and the more you do, the more wisdom you earn.

On average (a very odd word, but the best one I can use), a publishing company will put out up to twenty-four books a year.

Some, like Baen Books, do about seventy-two a year.

We published four to five times Baen Books’ total and twelve times that of an average publishing company.

So, we acquired a LOT of wisdom, pushing the company and our creativity. Some of the wounds we suffered I’m sure will heal in 2020. Some won’t.

So as we come into 2020, we have a new theme, and it is…

The Year of Unf##king ourselves.

How’s THAT for a theme?

;-)

Ad Aeternitatem,

Michael Anderle

Nest Under Seige

Dragon Approved™ Book Four

Chapter One

Alex watched the orcs standing outside of the room through Gill’s holographic display. At first, she stared at the screen through Manny’s eyes, but the detail was too much. Manny saw everything. Every little hair on their chinny-chin-chin… (Seeing gave so many of the stories she knew new context.)

She switched to her own eyes, dulling the sight through her HUD.

She held her breath, trying to make as little noise as possible. It didn’t matter that they were all huddled in a room. It just meant that if the orcs heard them, they were all dead.

After a few minutes, the orcs wandered away and continued on down the hall.

Alex let out a deep sigh as she leaned back against the wall and tried to catch her breath. “How many do you think there are?” she asked after she was sure she could breathe regularly.

Gill looked through his HUD, changing between different cameras throughout the Wasp’s Nest. “There could be hundreds,” he murmured. “There’s a lot of these guys.”

Jollies fluttered around the room manically before finally going into a fit of hiccups and retiring to Alex’s right shoulder. “What should we do?” Jollies asked.

Alex looked from Brath to Gill as the two young men thought the question over. Gill was the first to speak. “We should watch for a bit longer,” he suggested. “It doesn’t make sense to run out there until we know what’s going on. I mean, if we had gone out earlier, we’d be…” He ran his finger across his neck

Alex nodded in agreement. “Yeah, you’re right. If we had gone out, we’d be dead by now. There’s no way we could have taken that many orcs.”

“What do you mean, taken? Were you thinking about fighting them?”

Alex shook her head. She knew this wasn’t VR anymore. This was real life, and real orcs were very capable of killing her.

One-lifers. Guess we’re all one of those now, she thought with a heavy sigh.

For a moment, Alex thought back to Middang3ard VR. She had been a hero there, ready to step into danger at a moment’s notice. People knew her throughout the game as someone who would not walk away from a fight.

Yet here she was crouched in a room with a bunch of teenage boys, shaking with fear. How the mighty have fallen, she thought.

Brath was pacing, his arms folded over his chest, his body language expressing how unhappy he was with the decision to stay and hide. “How long are we going to be doing this?” he asked.

Gill lowered his visor and met Brath’s eyes. “It would be a mistake to go out before we have properly assessed the situation,” he reminded the other rider. “Haven’t you been paying attention to anything during our tactics lessons?”

Brath sat down on his bed, his arms still crossed. “Yeah, I pay attention,” he muttered under his breath. “I thought the first word of that class’s name was ‘Battle.’”

“Yeah, it is. And the second word is ‘Tactics.’ Arguably, it’s the more important word. Let me just see what else is going on for a while, all right? Then we’ll discuss what we should do.”

Alex sat back and listened to Gill. The hair on the back of her neck prickled. Who died and made these guys the bosses? she wondered. They’re not even asking for Jollies’ or my opinion.

Brath stood back up and continued pacing. He looked like he was going to say something else but was concentrating very hard on not speaking. His face had gone red from concentration.

Jollies, on the other hand, wasn’t trying to hide how worried she was. The color of her skin kept fluctuating between deep blue and purple.

Alex tapped Jollies on the foot, hoping to distract her from her fear. Maybe distract herself as well. “Do all pixies change color like you?” Alex asked.

Jollies looked up suddenly as if she had forgotten she was resting on Alex’s shoulder. “Huh? Oh, yeah. It’s like an emotional thing. Kinda like how you humans have mood rings. I’m one big mood ring. It helps pixies empathize with each other. Totally inconvenient when talking to non-pixies, though. Makes lying harder. You’ll never catch a pixie playing…poker? That’s the human game, right?”

Alex reached over to Brath’s bed, grabbed a pillow, and threw it at Gill. “Hey, do you have any cards in here?”

Gill hardly responded to being hit with a pillow. He looked away from his HUD visor for a moment before returning. “Yep,” he replied. “Over there, on top of my dresser. Why?”

Alex got up and grabbed the cards. They weren’t like any cards she’d ever seen in Middang3ard before. They reminded her of a description she had read of tarot cards, but other than that, they were completely confusing to her.

She took them anyway.

Brath scoffed loudly as he sat down on his bed. “Are you seriously going to play cards right now? While the Nest is going through an orc invasion?”

It took all of Alex’s self-control to speak in an even tone to Brath. She was terrified, but sitting in a room thinking about how scared she was wasn’t going to help anyone.

Even if Brath didn’t want to admit it, Alex could tell he was afraid too. All his pacing and sitting and standing were dead giveaways. Gill was the only one in the room who didn’t seem worried about the orcs.

Alex sat down across from Brath and looked at the cards. She looked at them, and even never having seen playing cards before, she knew this wasn’t an Earth card deck. The images were too… She struggled for a word before settling on “fantastical.”

She handed them to Brath. “Do you know what these are?”

Brath snatched the cards from Alex’s hands and sighed loudly. He thumbed through the cards before handing them back to Alex. “Of course, I do,” he said. “These are drow Fate cards.”

“What are those?”

Brath looked taken aback by Alex’s asking for more details. For a moment, he forgot about the orcish invasion and was more concerned with trying to understand why she would be interested in the cards.

Alex took the cards back from Brath as he started to explain, “It’s an elvish thing. All kinds of elves get these when they’re born. Every elf gets their own specific deck—someone makes it for them or something—but they use them to tell the future. Usually their own future.”

Alex nodded to show that she understood. They weren’t much different from Tarot cards then. She needed to do something to wake these guys up. Jollies was in full panic mode, and Brath wasn’t far behind.

Panic meant being stupid.

She shook her head. “I’m going to show you some human magic now. I’m going to read your fate.”

Brath scoffed. “Humans don’t have magic.”

“That’s not true. We humans have magic. Maybe not blow-‘em-up-with-a-fireball magic, but we are powerful divinators.”

Gill looked up and stared at Alex for a moment before going back to checking the camera feeds.

Brath laughed before realizing he was making noise and covering his mouth. “You didn’t even know what those were a minute ago,” he growled. “Why do you think you’re going to suddenly know how to read my cards and my future with your human magic?”

Alex thought back to her Aunt Maisy, who used to read fortunes for fun. Maisy would read Alex’s future, vividly describing the cards to her as she turned them over. When she was in Middang3ard’s VR world, Alex had looked them up, wanting to know what Aunt Maisy had been doing. It was incredible how good Aunt Maisy’s descriptions had been.

And how fun her tarot card readings had been.

Maisy had said that the most important thing with divination was confidence. You could say anything you wanted, all you had to do was sell it. Brath hadn’t challenged her on the divination part, so she had a chance.

As she shuffled the cards, she did her best to channel her Aunt Maisy. She thought about how, when Maisy spoke, it sounded as if there was no doubt in her mind. “Yeah, I am going to read your fate. I used to be quite the card reader on Earth.”

“How did you learn when you can’t see?”

Alex looked up from the cards for a moment. She couldn’t tell if Brath had said that with the intention of hurting her or if she was just sensitive due to all the prior teasing. “Special cards with ridges,” Alex lied. “Just because I was blind, it didn’t mean I was helpless.”

“So, you read with ridges?”

“Yeah, same as with books. You get that I know how to read, right?”

Brath shrugged as he tried to look uninterested. “I hadn’t thought about it,” he muttered.

Alex cut the cards and then shuffled them again. “On Earth, we have a special written language called Braille. It’s just for blind people. It’s a series of raised dots that mean certain letters or words, and I had cards with that.”

Alex watched something she had never seen before. She couldn’t have put it into words even if she wanted to. Brath’s face had changed slightly. It wasn’t as if he had raised his eyebrows or smiled, but as she spoke, Alex saw Brath’s eyes soften a little bit and his face loosen up.

Alex passed Brath the deck of cards. “All right, choose three cards,” she instructed. “Any three cards you feel drawn to.”

Jollies floated down and took a seat next to Alex’s foot.

Brath chose three cards from the top of the deck and handed them to Alex, who took them and put them on the floor. Alex looked over her shoulder at Gill, who was watching. She winked at him before turning back to the cards.

Alex flipped the three cards and leaned over them as she clasped her hands together, her chin on her knuckles.

The first card was a raven, the second a burning building. And the third was a black circle.

Alex nodded theatrically as she picked up the first card and stared at it, pretending to draw some meaning from it. “This right here represents your past,” she said mysteriously. “It looks as if your past was filled with anger. Anger about things you couldn’t control.”

Next, Alex picked up the card depicting the burning building. “But something changed,” she went on. “There was a sudden shift, and everything fell apart. You had to start asking questions, inspecting the foundation, figuring out why things had collapsed.”

Alex looked up to check if Brath was buying it.

The gnome was silent, and his brooding eyes peered out from behind his scruffy beard.

Alex took up the last card. She stared at it for some time, drawing out the anticipation. “Ah. The sacred ring is your future.”

Brath leaned forward but caught himself quickly and tried to downplay his interest. “Oh yeah?” he asked.

“That means your future is…well, I guess the best way to say it is that you have infinite possibilities with where you go from here. After the past and present stuff that I said before, you get to choose what your future is after you’re done asking questions.”

Brath chuckled as he leaned back. “You could have said that about anything.”

Alex took the three cards and put them back into the deck. “True,” Alex admitted. “I could have said them to anyone. But I said them to you and only you. Right now. So, take that as you will. But I see that today will not be your last.”

After shuffling again, Alex had Jollies draw cards. Hers were dove wings, dragon fire, and a skull. “Oh, that’s bad,” Jollies said. “The skull means I’m dead.”

Alex shook her head and gave the pixie a sly smile. “No, you misunderstand. It means that you are the bringer of death.” She looked at the two recruits and saw them both emboldened, their panic subsiding. Good. She had gotten through to them.

No panic meant they were thinking again, and that gave them all a chance.

Gill, the only one who had been calm the whole time, raised his finger to his lips, turned off the lights, and motioned for them all to get closer.

Gill threw up a holograph from his HUD that showed their hall. There were more orcs walking down the hall, but this time, they were kicking open every door. The orcs were only a few doors away.

Gill shifted the view to another hallway. Dead bodies covered the floor.

Alex grabbed her mouth to keep from yelping. She had never seen anything dead before. She wanted to look away more than anything else in the world.

Gill changed back to their hallway. “There’s worse going on right now,” he said. “Fights throughout the Nest and they’re coming our way. Real soon. Any ideas?”

Brath jumped to his feet and pulled out a knife hanging from his waist. “We fight them,” he whispered. “Better than sitting here and waiting for them to find us. At least we choose how we die.”

Jollies was shaking her head as she tried to fight back tears. Alex could see that the pixie was terrified, and there was a part of Alex that was scared too, but she felt the same way Brath did. If there was going to be a fight, it should be on their terms.

The images of the dead cadets in the hallway flashed through Alex’s mind. Her desire to fight instantly dissipated. She could be one of the corpses in the hall. Her parents would never know.

Gill stood up and turned off the holograph. He walked over to Brath and coaxed him into putting away the knife. “I know you’re looking forward to using your father’s blade for revenge,” Gill said softly. “But there’ll be a better time. We need to figure out what we’re going to do to stay alive.”

Alex pointed up to the unlit light bulb in the middle of the room. “Can you get into the systems and turn off the lights for the whole place?” Alex asked.

Gill looked at the lightbulb and then at the darkness of the room. “I can try.”

Chapter Two

Gill attempted to hack into the entire Nest system. His brows were furrowed as he tried to figure out how to get past the firewalls. Alex wondered how such a young kid had managed to acquire that much hacking expertise.

Manny sat quietly in the corner. He hadn’t spoken a word since they had been ushered out of the mess hall. Alex wondered if Manny was panic-stricken, but that seemed unlikely. It wouldn’t have made sense for Myrddin to assign Manny to Alex if he spooked so easily.

The desire to walk over to the dorm room’s door and peek through the peephole was overwhelming. Alex pushed it down along with her fear, which was doing its best to take over her reasoning. She kept imagining the orcs breaking into the room and tearing them all to shreds.

The lights in the hallway flickered. Alex could see light through the crack where the door didn’t quite touch the floor, but they still remained on.

Outside, there was another explosion. This one was big enough to rock their room. Orcs started yelling in the hallway. Alex couldn’t make out what they were saying, but she assumed that it was something violent in Orcish.

Brath sighed as he started to pace and finger the knife hanging from his waist again. Once in a while, he would stop and look at Gill, who would glance at his visor and shake his head.

Alex had never missed the HUD in Middang3ard so much before, not even when she was on Earth, trying to stay awake during her homeschooling lessons. The HUD she had received when she got her armor was noticeably different.

The HUDs in Middang3ard had an amazing feature that allowed their users to gauge what their likelihood of success or failure was going to be. All you had to do was look at a situation that you were thinking about, and the HUD gave you your success ratio.

Over the last few months in VR, Alex had become extremely dependent on that little percentage. It made all the difference in whether or not she would engage in a battle. She wished that she knew what her likelihood of survival was right now.

Gill groaned, frustration dripping from his voice when he spoke. “Damn it, there are so many back ends, I don’t even know where to start. Maybe I should just try to isolate the hallways. No, that doesn’t make sense…”

Alex walked over to Gill and took a seat beside him. “What if you just knocked out the whole network? Just kill the whole Nest.”

Gill rubbed his cheek as he thought it over. “I guess I could do that,” he admitted. “But I don’t know how it’s going to affect the Nest as a whole. The fact that no one has done it before makes me unsure if it’s a good idea.”

“No one else has done it because they don’t have an ace up their sleeves like I do.”

“What do you mean?”

Alex pointed to her eyes. “You kill the lights, I can lead us out of here,” Alex explained. “I don’t need to see anything. Old habits die hard, I guess. I’ve been memorizing every corridor since I’ve been here. I can get us around the orcs.”

Brath nearly sneezed and caught himself. “Have you seen what the orcs are wearing? They have night vision for sure.”

“But we have another ace up our sleeve. Manny can cast Darkness, right?”

The Beholder nodded. “I can.”

“Night vision or not, they’ll be blind, and unable to navigate the corridors like I can.”

Brath nervously tugged on his beard. “Okay, but that only solves one problem. How are you going to get around the orcs? If we accidentally bump into one of them, we’re dead.”

Alex pulled out her blindfold and wrapped it around her eyes. “Trust me,” she assured Brath. “I lived my entire life moving through darkness. I can do this. We get out of the room and make our way to the stables. Then we take back the Nest.”

Gill and Brath exchanged glances before Brath nodded.

Taking the cue, Gill spoke up. “All right, you heard the lady. Let’s do it,” he said before pulling his visor back down and starting the hack.

Manny floated forward, his tentacle eyes moving about rapidly. “I’ll cast Gloom. That way, it won’t be total darkness. Then I’ll link everyone’s eyesight together so you can see through my eyes. We should be able to make each other out. That way, we can follow Alex easier, but we’ll have to stick together. Real close.”

Gill cleared his throat and said, “I can help too. Drows have darkvision. Mine isn’t that strong since it matures with age, but I should be able to pick up on the heat signatures of the orcs if they’re close by. I’ll take the front with Alex. And you guys better get ready. It’s going dark in three, two, one.”

The lights in the hallway flickered again and then went off. There were startled sounds from the orcs outside, followed by another flurry of words that Alex couldn’t make out.

Manny floated in the middle of the circle of kids. “All right,” he whispered. “Jollies, Brath, you two ready?”

“Ready,” they both replied.

Manny’s body started to vibrate, and beams of light shot out of his eyes. The same beams shot out of Jollies’ and Brath’s eyes.

Brath leaned forward, his hands out in front of him, and yelped as he caught himself. He slammed his hands over his mouth and tried to keep his balance.

Gill stood up from his seat and walked over to Alex. He slid his hand around Alex’s and squeezed tightly. “This way, we won’t get separated,” he whispered in her ear.

Alex’s heart was racing. She wouldn’t have thought it could have beaten any faster than when she’d first seen the orcs, but she was wrong. “Yeah, that works perfectly,” she mumbled.

Get it together, Alex, she thought . You can have a crush later if you survive this.

Alex reached out as she had her entire life and inched toward the room door. She knew exactly where it was without realizing it, since her and Jollies’ room was the same. Glad to know that muscle memory didn’t go to waste, she thought as she instinctively concentrated on the door opening slowly.

The crystal door pulled apart, hardly making any noise. To the untrained ear, it was probably not even noticeable.

Alex scanned the hallway. It was a habit she’d acquired since she had been able to see, but it was pointless in this situation. She knew the orcs were close. They hadn’t been too far off in the video feed.

Alex didn’t need to see to know exactly where the orcs were, though. She could smell them since they didn’t smell like anything else in the Nest. A sour, acrid scent rose off of their skin, and Alex was happy she didn’t have to see them up close.

It only took the slightest tug on Gill’s hand to guide him. The drow stepped lightly as if the lack of light didn’t bother him at all. Alex could hear Brath struggling to walk forward behind Gill.

Alex assumed that whatever Jollies and Brath was seeing, it wasn’t too different than the sight Manny had first given her. It should have been more than enough to make their way through the hallway.

But Alex was saying that as someone who knew how to navigate the dark.

Brath and Jollies were probably struggling to pick up what little detail they could using Manny’s vision. You’d think for someone with so many eyes, his vision would be better, even in the dark, Alex thought.

The smell of the orcs faded as Alex guided Gill and the rest of them down the hall. Alex had a fairly good idea of where they were. Even with how mazelike the Wasp’s Nest was, she had been able to develop a sense of location and proximity by walking down the halls due to the crystal walls.

Hopefully, the confusion of the Nest would work to their advantage. Cadets had a hard enough time moving around and finding where they were trying to go. The orcs must have been having an even harder time navigating the Nest.

What were they here for, though? The only thing Alex had seen was murder. Jollies had said orcs had attacked training camps before, but was it really as simple as murdering all the new cadets? They could be here for the dragons, Alex thought.

But what good were dragons to the Dark One? It wasn’t like any of them would have followed him, even though Alex had been told he’d had at least one dragon. Maybe he was trying to get more.

Alex squeezed Gill’s hand, signaling for him to stop. They all stood very still in the darkness. She could smell orcs ahead. She knew that they were at a four-way intersection in the hallway. That made it impossible to tell which way the orcs were coming from.

Alex pulled Gill up against the wall, and Manny and the rest of them followed. They stayed there as the smell of the orcs approached.

Gill guided Alex’s hand upward. He pushed down all of her fingers except for her index and pointed to the left, signaling which direction the orcs were coming from.

All five of them froze and held their breath. Alex squinted, tempted to pull off her blindfold and see if her dragon eyes granted her any abilities to see in the dark. It was too much of a risk, though. The sudden shift from being blindfolded to being able to see might be too much.

Alex didn’t need to see the orcs to know they were walking past. Her nostrils filled with the smell of rancid meat and decomposing bodies. How could any living thing smell this bad? Alex thought. Are these orcs or the undead?

The orcs continued past Alex and the rest of them. Apparently, orc eyes were just as bad as human eyes in the dark. They didn’t take any notice of the gnome, drow, pixie, or human who were squashed against the wall, nor did they smell them.

Alex could see the outlines of the orcs through the gloom. She saw that they were holding very long, curved scimitars and had what looked like rifles across their backs. This surprised Alex, but she was growing used to weapons other than medieval fantasy warfare.

They were still a ways from the dragon stables, and if there were going to be this many orcs in the halls, it was going to be slow going. There had to be a faster way to get from point A to point B.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the best time to discuss that. The orcs were still lazily walking down the hall. It didn’t seem as if they were in any rush. This made Alex wonder again what they were doing at the Nest.

If this had been as simple as “kill all the cadets,” you would think the orcs would be acting with more urgency. The way they were slowly moving through the corridors didn’t support that, though. So, what were they here for?

Once the orcs were out of earshot, Gill and Alex moved the group forward. Alex thought they needed to take a moment to regroup. Their initial plan was going to get much more complicated.

Alex guided the group to the mess hall. Gill checked to see if there were any orcs in the immediate vicinity, and Alex was certain that she couldn’t smell any of them. All she could smell was the food in the hall.

They reached the door of the mess hall, and Alex extended her hand to open the door with the crystal datapad. When the five of them were inside the mess hall, Alex guided them to a table and sat down.

Brath looked around, trying to figure out where he was.

Manny’d had a harder time adjusting to the dark than he had been prepared for. “Is this the mess hall?” he asked. “By the realms, how were you ever able to see like this?”

Alex laughed despite herself and their current situation. “Trust me, it’s not any easier if you’ve never seen anything before,” she replied.

Jollies, who had been riding on Brath’s shoulder, tried to flutter over to sit down on the table but got turned around and ended up on the floor. “Why did you bring us here?” Jollies asked.

“Because I realized there is a huge flaw in our plan,” Alex explained. “This place has got to be crawling with orcs. There’s no way that we’re going to be able to sneak past all of them to get to the stables.”

“Wait, what do you mean?”

“I don’t think the orcs are here just to attack the cadets. You know, if this was a raid, I’d be busting my ass to get to the end as soon as possible, especially if the raid was on a super-secret base with tons of dragons. But they’re taking their time, almost like they know something we don’t.”

Brath reached out, trying to find the table, and tripped over his feet. He got up with Manny’s help. “What do you think we should do?” he asked.

Gill pulled up his HUD visor, and it glowed dimly in the dark as he scrolled through it. “There are orcs all over the Nest, and they seem to have stopped attacking people. Most of the cadets are holed up on the other side. Guess it was just our hallway where the orcs were killing people.”

For the first time since Alex had arrived at the Nest, she was glad she hadn’t gotten to know anyone else. It would have killed her to have been close to any of the other cadets who got hurt. She knew everyone else must be hurting. She’d seen Jollies, Brath, and Gill with some of the kids on their floor.

If Gill was upset, he was hiding it very well. His voice was even and neutral, devoid of any emotion when he spoke. Alex wondered if that was a drow thing. “I don’t think we should focus on rescuing anyone. The instructors are capable of that.”

Jollies squeaked loudly, and her skin became brilliant red. “Wait, are you saying we should just leave them?”

Brath shook his head. “I’m saying we never planned to do any sort of rescue to begin with. And we are also unarmed unless you want to count my knife. The instructors must know what’s going on. It would be stupid to try to do what they should be doing. We should stick to trying to get to our dragons.”

There was a loud clatter of steel pots and pans in the mess hall, followed by shouts in orcish. All of the kids froze, staring at where they thought the noise had come from. There was someone else in the mess hall!

Gill grabbed Alex’s hand and pointed in the direction of the orcs. He leaned over and whispered into Alex’s ear, “There are two of them, smaller ones than the others. I can’t tell what they’re doing, though. I think they might just be eating. They might not know we’re here.”

Alex turned to Brath. “Give me your knife.”

Brath gasped quietly. “Are you kidding me?” he asked. “No. It’s my family’s—”

“Here,” Gill said, pulling a small curved dagger from his side. “I have two. What are you—”

Alex took the knife and pointed toward the orcs. “I’m going to take care of them.”

Brath gulped. “We should run. Hide.”

Gill pursed his lips before unsheathing his other knife. “No, she is right. This is our home, and it is under attack. We should do what we can. All right, Alex Bound, I shall follow you. I’ll help. Brath, you coming?”

Brath shook his head. “I can’t see well enough,” he admitted. “But we’ll stay here in case they slip past you. Maybe Jollies can light up the area enough to see if I need it.” Alex noted that although there was fear in his voice, there was also disappointment. Brath was smart, and he wanted revenge on the Dark One more than anyone here. He would have come if he hadn’t felt it was a suicide mission.

Oh, God, Alex thought. I hope this isn’t a suicide mission.

Manny hovered in front of her. “You can’t go. You’ll get killed.”

“Manny,” Alex said, “I have to. Gill and I are the only ones who have a chance, and if we don’t take them out, we’ll all die. Let me do this. Please.”

“And if you fail?”

“Then you, Brath, and Jollies haul ass and hide.”

The Beholder considered for a moment before finally nodding. “Don’t fail, then. Myrddin will kill me.”

Alex touched the Beholder and nodded, then tugged Gill’s hand. “Come on. You drows are supposed to be good at sneaking, right?”

Gill smiled, his sharp incisors glimmering in the darkness. “You could say that. Come on. We have to move fast.”

There was another clatter and a sharp shout in Orcish.

Alex crouched, and Gill did the same. They slowly made their way toward the orcs, Gill occasionally stopping to point in the direction they needed to go. Alex’s ears and nose were good, but Gill’s darkvision was a godsend.

They were closing in on the orcs, who were now chattering loudly. She was right—whatever the orcs were planning, they were in no obvious rush.

As Alex and Gill got closer to the orcs, Alex’s heart jumped up to her throat. What was she doing? She wasn’t an assassin. She’d never even been in a real fight. How was she going to ambush two orcs and kill them?

This wasn’t the time to be thinking like that, and Alex knew it. If she had thought like this during the joust, she would have lost. She didn’t know if her instincts were any good, but all she could do was follow them. It was better than waiting to die.

Alex and Gill leaned against the wall. The orcs were in the back where the lunch folk usually cooked and passed out food. It seemed like they hadn’t noticed the human and drow sneaking up on them.

Gill took Alex’s hand and pointed to one of the orcs, then to himself, and then to the other orc. Simple enough. Alex was going to take the one on the right. Gill was going to take the one on the left.

Alex looked down at her knife. This was the first time she could remember ever holding a weapon, and she was going to use it to kill an orc. The thought made her stomach turn, but then she thought about the dead cadets she had seen in the hallway.

Alex squeezed Gill’s hand and pointed forward. It was time. She crouched as low as she could to the floor, moving slowly, listening to the smacking lips of the orcs as they chewed on whatever food they had found.

From the corner of Alex’s eye, she could see Gill’s shape. He wasn’t joking; he was good at sneaking. Alex pulled up the corner of her blindfold. She could hardly tell the drow from the shadows.

God, that kid is hot, she thought before remembering there was a full-grown orc ahead of her who was sorely in need of a knife in the back. All right, I got this. I got this. I got this!

Alex went forward, concentrating on making as little noise as she could. Gill was only a little way ahead of her.

The smell of the orcs was nearly overpowering. Alex thought Gill was lucky his sense of smell wasn’t as good as hers. Both Alex and Gill reached the orcs. It was now or never.

Alex leaped onto the nearest orc’s back and wrapped her hands around its throat. The orc screamed in shock as it tried to grab its sword.

Gill slashed at his orc’s ankles, severing both of its Achilles tendons. The orc fell to the ground, screaming as it pulled out its rifle.

Alex squeezed her orc’s throat as tightly as she could with one arm and raised her knife, then brought it down into the thing’s neck. She couldn’t believe how strong she was. There was something about being in Middang3ard; she was stronger than on Earth. Faster, too.

Like Captain America or Marvel, except without all the hand blaster stuff. God, that would have been cool.

The orc spun, its arms waving wildly as Alex stabbed it again and again, trying to keep from screaming as she hacked at its neck.

At her side, the surviving orc got hold of its rifle. It fired two shots that lit the room like a crack of lightning. In the brief period of light, Alex saw Gill’s eyes flicker as he stepped into the shadows, his face covered in orc blood.

The orc turned to face Alex and aimed his rifle. Alex backed up, holding her knife in front of her, trying to figure out if she could close the gap between her and the orc before it fired. Then there was the sound of ripping flesh.

The orc fell with a knife in its back. Gill stepped forward, still hidden by the shadows, and grabbed his knife. “Don’t forget yours.”

Alex reached over to pick up the knife. Her hands were trembling, and she was struggling to breathe. She realized her shirt was covered with blood, and her face was wet and sticky with it. The acrid smell of copper filled her nostrils. “We…we did it,” she mumbled.

Gill came over, grabbed Alex, and hugged her tight. “Your first one?” he asked.

Alex nodded as she hugged Gill back. He pulled away and held Alex’s chin in his fingers. “If we don’t kill them, they’ll kill us. It’s that simple. They will kill you, and they will not hesitate. Neither should you.”

Alex wiped away a tear and smeared blood across her face. “Yeah, yeah. Come on.”

“Hold on,” Gill said as he leaned over the orc Alex had killed. “Take this.”

Gill pulled the orc’s head away from its body and tossed it to Alex, who caught the head, surprised she hadn’t jumped back in disgust. “This’ll help get Brath off your back.”

Alex leaned over and grabbed the orc’s rifles. “And this is just being practical,” she said.

“Good point. Let’s see what else they have.”

Alex and Gill looted the orcs’ bodies and found three knives and two scimitars, but other than weapons, the orcs didn’t have anything on them. Then they made their way back to Jollies, Manny, and Brath.

When Brath saw the two of them coming back, he shakily asked, “Is that you guys?”

Alex tossed the orc’s head at Brath, who grabbed it out of the air before realizing what he had caught. He dropped the head and jumped back. “What the hell?” he yelped.

Gill came up beside Brath and handed him a sword. “That was Alex’s,” he explained. “Cut straight down to the bone. Nearly decapitated him.”

Brath looked at Alex, his eyes wide and filled with awe. “Oh, that’s… I mean, that’s pretty cool,” he said.

Alex tried not to look too smug and shrugged. “Just figured we needed to be able to catch our breath before we go back out there,” she said. “And we can’t do that with orcs snacking in here.”

Manny rubbed his face with his tentacles. “What exactly were they snacking on in there?” he asked.

“Manny, this is not the time to be thinking about food!”

“Well, when is? I’ve been starving since we got kicked out of here.”

Alex sighed as she realized Manny’s body was probably burning more energy than usual since he was supporting both Brath and Jollies. “All right, go grab something to eat but hurry back,” Alex said.

Manny didn’t wait for Alex to say anything else. He rushed off, severing his ties with Jollies and Brath, who squeaked when their eyesight disappeared. Alex had completely forgotten how close Manny had to stay to keep the connection going. It looked like he had to stay even closer if he was running two at the same time.

Alex sat down next to Brath and took his trembling hand. “Hey, Jollies, could you get brighter for me?” Alex asked.

Jollies didn’t answer but started to glow a deep blue as she fluttered over to Brath and Alex, who let go of Brath’s hand. “Can you guys see all right?” Alex asked.

Jollies landed on Alex’s knee. “How did you do this?” Jollies asked. “It’s been fifteen minutes, and I already feel like I’m losing my mind. This was your entire life?”

“It’s not that bad if it’s all you’ve ever known. I never thought twice about it. I’ve heard of people losing their sight later in life, and that seems horrible. But this? It’s all I ever knew.“

Brath stared into the darkness. “Yeah, this is pretty hard. Must take a lot of guts to decide to jump on a dragon without even being able to see five feet in front of you.”

“Makes it a lot harder when people are treating you like a lazy freak.”

Brath didn’t bother meeting Alex’s eyes, but he nodded to show he understood what she was saying. “Yes, it would. So, what’s the game plan?”

Alex wasn’t expecting an apology from Brath, just an acknowledgment and she had gotten that. They could worry about their squabbles later. For now, they had to figure out how they were going to make it to the dragon stables with a Wasp’s Nest full of orcs.

Manny came floating back toward the group, quietly munching on whatever grub he’d found. “We could take the service tunnels,” Manny suggested. “They’re not quite tunnels, more like invisible hallways. It’s what all the extra regular staff use.”

“Extra regular?”

“Like the cooks, cleaners, things like that—the staff who don’t interact with students all the time. Can you imagine how annoyed the lunch lady would be if people tried to talk to her about lunch when she wasn’t working behind the line? She’s already pretty irritable.”

Gill pulled up his HUD and looked through the schematics of the Wasp’s Nest. “How do we get to them?” he asked.

“There should be an entrance somewhere in the back of the kitchen. We should be able to follow them all the way to the stables.”

Alex stood up, sheathed her knife, and slung the rifle over her shoulder. “All right, what are we wasting time for then? Let’s get going.”

Chapter Three

Alex and the group made their way to the back of the kitchen. They had to tell Manny to stop grabbing more food, but the harder they tried to stop the Beholder, the more they found themselves grabbing food.

Stress was making everyone hungry.

Alex had only just stopped shaking since her encounter with the orc. She had managed to put up a brave front for Brath, but now she was replaying the whole scene in her head.

Alex was glad she had had her eyes covered. She didn’t want to imagine what the gory mess would have looked like if she could have seen normally.

They were all crouched around an overturned platter of mashed potatoes and another food with a similar texture but wildly different in taste. Once everyone had had their fill, they got up and continued toward the back.

Manny stopped the group and motioned toward a door with his eye tentacles. “This would be it.”

Gill walked up to the freezer and gave it a once-over. “Isn’t this just a freezer?”

Manny shook his head, his tentacles swaying. “Only to the uninitiated. Most of the entry areas are disguised so cadets won’t waste their time trying to get in. We were using broom closets for a while, but instructors quickly found out what teenagers use closets for.”

Manny opened the freezer. Past the threshold was a portal that breathed cold, fresh air out at Alex and the rest of them. Even if she had been able to see, she probably would have assumed this was a freezer. “All right, let’s go.”

Alex and Gill went first since they were the ones who could see best. They stepped through the portal, which was unlike the first portal Myrddin had sent her through. There was no disorientation or anything like that. She merely walked through it and was somewhere else.

The somewhere else was a long hall much different from the glass corridors of the Wasp’s Nest. These halls were bare and not crystalline. They looked as if they were made of simple wood and stone. “What’s with the lack of magic?” Alex asked as she peeked through her blindfold.

As they walked, Manny explained the reason. “These are meant for quick transit. The whole Nest uses a large amount of energy. When they were putting these halls together, they figured just building them would be an easy way to keep from wasting energy.”

Gill ran his hands across the walls, collecting cobwebs. “And no one ever made a plan for using these in case of an evacuation?”

“If I’m honest, Myrddin isn’t the humblest man in the realms. He never thought anyone would have the gall to attack the Nest. And as we’ve seen tonight, that meant we were not running tight enough security.”

Brath tapped his knife on his dragon anchor. “I’ll say.” He chuckled. “You’d think the place Myrddin spends most of his time would be better defended. Doesn’t look good for the Resistance, does it?”

Alex turned to Brath despite not being able to see. “Wait, are you saying Myrddin is here?”

“I mean, he might not be here right now, but he usually is. From what I’ve heard, the dragonriders are his pet project, after the MERCs.”

“Well, why doesn’t he just blast these orcs out of here and stop all of this?”

“Beats me. Trust me; I wish he would too. Walking around in the magical back alleys of the Nest with a bunch of kids isn’t my idea of a good time.”

Alex almost regretted having engaged Brath, but he was right. It wasn’t a particularly great idea, and it also didn’t do much to make her trust Myrddin’s foresight. Why would he have left this place so poorly defended?

Gill pulled up his visor HUD and scrolled through a map, trying to find out where they were in the Nest. “Come on, guys, talking trash on Myrddin right now isn’t going to help any of us. Let’s just focus on what we can control. We follow this for a while, then turn right and hit the stables.”

Alex and the rest of them moved through the dark hallway in silence. It was welcome since Alex was finally able to be alone with her thoughts. She had been trying to roll with the punches since the invasion. Truthfully, since she had arrived at the Nest. It wasn’t getting any easier.

Myrddin had made it seem like she would be safe—as if her mother and father didn’t have anything to worry about. Alex had been at the Nest for less than a week, and she was already fleeing for her life, with Myrddin nowhere to be seen.

Crap, Alex thought. Did my parents respond?

Alex opened her HUD and checked for messages. Her parents had responded almost instantly. This wasn’t the time to answer, but Alex promised herself she was going to make it through this if only to speak to her parents again.

Gill raised his hand to signal to the group to stop. “Wait. I see heat signatures up ahead through the walls. I want to check and see what they are.” Gill looked down at his map. “Oh, no. Those are cadets. They’re hiding. They’re not too far from here.”

Alex didn’t wait for him to say anything more. “We have to go help them. We can’t just leave them there by themselves.”

Brath forced his way up from the back of the group. “Weren’t you the ones who were saying we had to focus on getting to our dragons and that it was the adults’ job to figure out how to save the cadets?”

“Yeah, but that was before they were only a couple of feet away from us,” Gill countered. “I thought it was stupid to try to fight our way through half of the Nest to get to them, but these guys are right here. It’s a considerably smaller risk.”

Sometimes Alex hated the way Gill talked. He sounded like a walking computer program. She wondered if he was even capable of feeling anything. The way he had handled killing that orc was positively cold, even though he had been right.

Jollies shimmered from pink to red as she flew up to Alex’s face. “We can’t leave them behind,” she pleaded.

Alex swiped her finger across Jollies’ face. “Dude, don’t even worry about it. That was never an option. We’re supposed to be training to be heroes, aren’t we? Might as well start now. Take us there, Gill.”

Gill nodded as he turned his attention back to his map. There was a little bit more light in the hall, so it was easier to move around. They must have been off the main power grid of the Nest. Alex wondered if that meant they were more protected or less.

It didn’t take long to find where the cadets were being held. Gill looked through his map one more time and cross-referenced the surveillance videos. As it turned out, the cadets weren’t hiding. They had been captured by orcs patrolling the area.

Gill pulled up a couple of videos that had been taken before the power shut off. It looked like the orcs were regularly patrolling the area, making sure no one came for the cadets. “Great, this just went from stupid to impossible,” Brath grumbled.

“Are there any breaks in their pattern?” Alex asked. “Or are they just checking in every couple of minutes?’

Gill scrolled past a few videos. “It doesn’t look like there’s a pattern,” he admitted. “I think they just come in when they want. They aren’t even checking up that often.”

“So, all we gotta do is slip in and out fast. Real sneaky-like. Sounds easy enough.”

Gill chuckled softly, the sound reverberating in the silence of the corridor. “You know, you’re a little reckless.”

“Yeah, just a little.”

Chapter Four

The cadet dragonriders pressed their ears to the walls, hoping the walls were thin enough to hear through. Gill had brought them to where he said the other cadets were being held. Alex couldn’t hear anything. The walls weren’t as thin as she had hoped.

Gill looked at his map one more time, checking to see if there were any orcs patrolling the area. It looked clear. “Where will we take them?” Gill suddenly asked, realizing there was a massive gap in their plan.

Alex wracked her brain, trying to think of a place the other cadets might be safe. “Uh, I guess we’ll just bring them with us,” she finally said. “They’re all cadets too. That means they’re probably bound to dragons as well. More fighters for the battle.”

Gill’s eyes went wide. “Wait, you didn’t say anything about a battle!”

Alex turned to face the drow. “What did you think we were going to get our dragons for? To run away? We can’t leave everyone here without helping.”

Gill nodded that he understood before looking back down at his map. “It’s just that you weren’t specific about wanting to fight.”

An arm broke through the wall and wrapped itself around Alex’s throat. Alex let out a sharp yelp as she was pulled through the wall by the muscular gray arm of an orc.

The orc tossed Alex across the room, and she hit the opposite wall with a heavy thud. She would have assumed the force of the impact would knock her out. It didn’t and Alex, surprised, got to her feet. Her back still hurt like hell, though. “Huh, that’s new,” she muttered.

There wasn’t any time to revel in her realization because the orc who had grabbed her was running toward her.

The cadets in the room started screaming and asking for help as Alex tried to get her bearings.

The room was still pitch-black. Even though the orc had managed to snag her through the wall, it didn’t seem to be able to find her in the dark room. The place was larger than Alex had assumed, based on the map Gill had shown her.

That was when Alex remembered the Nest was plugged into everyone who was residing within it—everyone other than the invaders. The room had probably expanded based on Alex’s need, and she needed a very large room at the moment.

Alex turned and ran as she shouted, “Jollies, find me. I have an idea!” She knew she was going to give away her position, but it was more important that Jollies know where she was. If Jollies came for her, the rest of them would as well. Then they’d have a chance against the orc.

Alex wasn’t sure she could take the orc by herself. She preferred not to think about it chasing after her, gnashing its teeth and waiting to sink its blade into her chest. She had managed to kill one before, and it hadn’t been too hard.

There’s no way I could have done that back on Earth, Alex thought as she realized she wasn’t having any trouble breathing. She hadn’t been unfit before, but physical education wasn’t her strong suit.

It seemed like Alex’s body had been given an upgrade since she had arrived at the Wasp’s Nest. Maybe her Captain America theory wasn’t wrong after all.

She wasn’t sure if it was the realm she was in (honestly, she was still confused as to exactly where the Nest was) or if it was her armor.

Suddenly, the prospect of fighting an orc didn’t seem as terrible. Maybe she wasn’t as weak and defenseless as she’d thought. Maybe she was just scared, and being scared was something she could deal with.

Alex ran straight ahead, hoping she wasn’t going to run into a wall, but the wall never came. She could still hear the orc behind her.

It was time for the first step of the plan. Alex stopped, turned around, and sprinted straight back the way she had come.

As Alex ran, she could hear the orc getting closer, but it was somewhere to the side. She had figured the orc was going to be searching, walking back and forth, unaware of exactly where Alex was.

It didn’t take long to sprint past the orc and around the corner.

Now was the hard part. Alex stopped running and pulled up her blindfold a little bit. She could see the faint outlines of her friends in the darkness, and she ran toward them. “Jollies!” she whispered as loud as she could.

It was enough for Jollies to hear. The pixie came racing over to Alex. “There you are,” she exclaimed. “Where are the other—”

“We’re going to worry about them in a second. We have to deal with that orc before he catches us again. Can you control your colors?”

“Yeah, if I try hard.”

“Can you make them brighter?”

“I might be able to.”

That was enough for Alex. It was going to be a gamble, but Alex realized she was comfortable taking risks in these kinds of situations. “All right, come with me. Gill and Brath, can you stay with Manny and start helping the cadets?”

Brath stepped forward and pulled out his dagger. “Don’t you want backup?” he asked.

“I’d love some, but more people with me means fewer people to help the cadets. Also, that would put three of us in danger for a really stupid plan I’m still not sure is going to work. Sorry, Jollies.”

Gill rested his hand on Brath’s shoulder and turned the gnome around. “Come on, we need to help the other cadets.”

Brath, Gill, and Manny went back in the direction they thought the other cadets might be in. In the dark distance, there was a roar from the orc.

Alex reached out to Jollies. “Could I hold you?” she asked. “It’ll make moving in the dark easier since you’re going to be farther from Manny.”

Jollies flew into Alex’s palm, and she closed it as loosely as she could to keep from hurting Jollies. Then she took off in the direction of the orc’s shout. “All right, Jollies,” Alex explained. “On my signal, you’re going to turn bright white, okay?”

Alex could feel Jollies nodding. Then Alex stopped for a second, trying to calm her heart so she could listen for the footsteps of the orc. It was going to be a race to see who heard the other first. Alex had a slight upper hand, or at least she thought she did. She wasn’t sure if orcs had better vision in the dark.

The orc grunted, voicing his frustration at his prey getting away. That was all Alex needed. She sprinted toward the sound. When she thought she was close enough, she squeezed Jollies a little bit.

Jollies got the point, shut her eyes, and tensed her whole body until she flashed bright white. The part of the room they were in brightened instantly.

The orc turned around, dazed and confused, his eyes trying to adjust to the sudden bright light. Alex pulled out her knife and slammed it into his chest, pushing him back against the wall.

The orc didn’t go down. It wrapped its hands around Alex’s neck and lifted her into the air.

Alex gasped for air as she pulled out her knife and drove it into the orc’s skull. It let go of her and fell to the ground dead as Jollies’ white light faded.

Jollies flew down to the orc to check if it was really dead. “Holy crap,” Jollies gasped. “That just happened. You killed him!”

Alex wiped the blood off her blade before she sheathed it. She was still trying to catch her breath, but her neck didn’t hurt as much as she expected.

Her second orc of the day.

Alex knelt beside the body of the orc and checked it for anything useful, but found nothing. Guess this place is not going to beat that VR randomly-generated loot system. She laughed.

The limits of Alex’s physical body had definitely been extended. She was strong enough to drive a knife through solid bone. That was definitely an upgrade.

Jollies perched atop Alex’s shoulder. “That was crazy. I didn’t know you were such a tough guy. Never would have thought it from how you were acting with Brath.”

Alex chuckled as she walked back toward where she thought the other cadets were. “Well, I wasn’t trying to kill Brath. Dealing with bullies is harder than killing an orc. At least the orcs aren’t trying to torture me psychologically.”

By the time Alex and Jollies caught up with the other cadets, Brath and Gill had freed them all. “You took care of the orc?” Brath asked.

Jollies lit up bright white for a second, illuminating everyone. “Oh, man, you should have seen it! She was so flippin’ cool! That orc didn’t stand a chance.”

At least ten other cadets had been captured. Alex could barely make them out in the dark. She didn’t want to waste time trying to introduce herself to everyone, so she just asked the group, “How are you guys? Is everyone okay?”

A quiet voice came from the mass of bodies. “Yeah, they didn’t do anything to us. They just said they were going to hold onto us for someone.”

“For someone?”

“Yeah, they kept going on like they were waiting for someone.”

Alex looked around the room, trying to make out its features and figure out where exactly in the Nest they were. “Uh, anyone know where we are?” she asked.

Gill pulled up his map and pointed to its center. “We’re in the Great Hall. Guess when we aren’t all paying attention, the Nest relaxes or something.”

“Is this place alive?”

“Honestly, I’m starting to wonder about that.”

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light. Alex was dazed for a second and she covered her eyes, but before she could orient herself, a strong force like a wall of metal slammed against her and sent her flying.

Alex struggled to get to her feet as her eyes adjusted to the light.

“Ah,” a deep voice crooned. “More cadets for me.”

Chapter Five

In the blinding light of the Great Hall stood a man in a black cloak, its hood pulled down over his face. The light was emanating from him. He held a gnarled wooden staff with a glowing crystal atop it.

The man pulled back his hood. It was impossible to tell if he was an elf or a human or some other race. The features of his face seemed to shift continually, his eyebrows growing larger and moving as his eyes dropped to his mouth, which curled up to his ears.

The dark wizard raised his staff and laughed, a sickening sound like glass being broken. “I am Holmorth for the Dark One, and I have come for you, dragonriders!” the creature screeched, his high-pitched voice making Alex’s ears prickle. “My dragonriders!”

A horde of orcs filled the hall behind Holmorth. They looked like a pack of rabid dogs waiting for their master to unleash them.

Alex pulled her blindfold back down as she made her way to her feet. It was too bright, and there was too much visual information for her to process. She was glad to cover her eyes again. The image of Holmorth’s contorting face would probably haunt her nightmares. Seeing it once was enough.

Manny severed his psychic ties with the cadets and floated ahead of them. This action forced Alex to use her own eyes.

The Beholder squared off against Holmorth, all of his eyes facing forward, giving the wizard his undivided attention. “Holmorth, what are you doing here?” he asked. “Have you gotten bored pretending to be a dark magician in that hell pit you call a home?”

Holmorth laughed again and swiped his staff upward. A bolt of lightning issued from it and hit the ceiling, sending a cascade of glass falling. The recently rescued cadets screamed in fear as they backed up, inching closer to the far edge of the hall.

Alex, Brath, Jollies, and Gill did not retreat. They held their ground behind Manny, who had moved forward, his eyes still trained on Holmorth.

Holmorth rested his staff against his shoulder as he chuckled. “I see Myrddin is still having you play babysitter,” he said tauntingly. “I wonder why a powerful and eldritch creature such as you has allowed a lowly human to make you his errand boy?”

Manny’s body swelled as if he were growing in size. A pulse of energy came off him, which Alex felt wash over her like a wave of heat. “We both know Myrddin is far from being a lowly human,” the Beholder countered. “He’s a finer wizard than you’ll ever be. I’d be surprised if you are even capable of handling me alone.”

Another wave of energy came off Manny, hotter than the last. “Apparently you need an entire army to deal with children now,” he followed up. “Are your powers waning? So sad to see your potential wasted.”

Holmorth took a step forward, and dark energy radiated from his body. Even though the light was shining from him, he was still cloaked in blackness. “Hardly,” Holmorth said, snarling. “Nothing you taught me has been wasted, unlike that fool Myrddin.”

Holmorth waved his hand, and the floor before him broke into spikes that floated into the air and flew at Manny.

Manny did nothing, yet when the spikes should have hit him, they disintegrated into pebbles.

Holmorth laughed again, the same ear-piercing sound. “You are wasting your potential, Manny. The Dark One would reward power such as yours instead of delegating his menial tasks to you. An eldritch being of your power should be a ruler.”

“And that’s what you’re doing? The Dark One wants to rule. He won’t share it with anyone.”

“That is where you are wrong, Manny. The Dark One will indeed rule, and there are some of us who will also rule what has been given to us through his many graces.”

One of Manny’s eyes flipped over and looked at Alex before he turned to face the cadets. “Do you all have weapons?” he asked.

Alex and the rest of them solemnly nodded, and Jollies pulled a tiny crossbow out of her knapsack. Alex whispered to the Beholder, “If you could do all that, why not save us all the stress? The cards, the sneaking around. You could have just blasted them the whole time.”

“Because I won’t always be with you, and I needed you to see your actions and understand your potential. You are a leader who cares for her soldiers. You are a strategist who seeks survival over frivolous battle, and you are more powerful than you know. Myrddin was right about you, Alex the Boundless. I am proud to have been your eyes, as brief as that time has been.” the Beholder’s eyes softened as he looked upon her. Then turning to everyone, he said in a loud voice, “Good that you have weapons, because you’re going to have to fight your way to the stables. I’ll hold them off for as long as I can, but you make it to the stables and you leave. Don’t turn back. Don’t try to help anyone else. Do you understand me?”

Alex grabbed the rifle slung over her shoulder. “No way,” she shouted. “We’re not just going to leave you.”

“You have to. You cadets are more important than me. You’re the hope of Middang3ard. Do you understand me?”

A bolt of plasma went flying past Manny and hit an orc in the chest. The rest of the orcs screamed, ready to bolt forward, but Holmorth held his hand up to keep them back.

Gill, who was holding his smoking rifle, shrugged. “We’ll go,” he said slowly. “But we aren’t leaving you alone. If we’re running, so are you.”

Manny sighed as one of his eyes flipped over to watch the horde of orcs across the room. “Fine, we’ll all go,” he agreed. “But I’m going to need to stall Holmorth if we’re going to make it. When I say go, go. No questions asked. Understood?”

Manny faced Holmorth again and floated forward as the dark wizard started to walk toward Manny. “I assume you still honor the old ways?” the Beholder asked. “The eldritch traditions I trained you in?”

Holmorth folded his arms and snarled, then he nodded.

Manny and Holmorth stood face to face a few feet from each other. “Good. Shall we begin?”

Holmorth said nothing, only clutched his staff. He aimed it at Manny, and a bolt of lightning fired from it.

Manny raised one of his eyes, and the lightning deflected and struck the wall. Then Manny’s eyes burned bright white, and a black hand, twice as large as Holmorth, appeared in the air. The hand grabbed Holmorth and wrung him as if he were a wet towel.

Holmorth shouted, and the boom of his voice destroyed the hand. He fell to the ground and grabbed his staff, then turned and aimed it at one of the orcs.

The orc was hit with a blast of green light, and it fell over as its body started to swell and bulge. A tentacle ripped out of it—a creature was growing within it. Within seconds, a massive kraken burst from the orc’s body.

The kraken flew at Manny, who floated to the side as quickly as he could. The kraken was easily the size of a bus, its tentacles flying about as it screeched, clacking its beak.

Alex raised her rifle and took aim at the kraken.

One of Manny’s eyes flipped over and saw Alex. “No!” he shouted. “Don’t interfere. This is between Holmorth and me!”

The kraken reared its head as Holmorth aimed his staff at Manny, shooting a fireball that went careening toward the Beholder.

Manny dodged the fireball and turned his attention to the kraken. Manny’s eyes shifted color again, glowing bright white.

The walls next to the kraken shot out spikes, impaling it.

One of Manny’s tentacles sketched a shape, an ancient sigil from times long past. The kraken’s skin caught fire and it burned to nothing but bone and ash. Then the ash rose from the ground.

Manny turned to face Holmorth. He pointed one of his eyes at the black wizard and the ash from the kraken flew toward Holmorth, covering his body in black soot.

Holmorth struggled and tried to escape but could do nothing.

Manny retreated back toward the cadets and shouted, “Now! Let’s go!”

The cadets broke into a run toward the back of the Great Hall as Holmorth tried to free himself. The black wizard screamed in rage and then shouted, “Don’t just stand there, you idiots! Kill them! Kill them all!”

The orcs ran toward the cadets, who had already made it to the end of the hall. The crystal door presented a datapad, and Manny slammed his tentacle onto it, shouting, “Open faster, damn you!”

The crystal doors opened, and the cadets rushed through. The doors shut quickly behind them and Manny commanded the doors to lock before heading toward the stables.

The orcs could be heard firing their plasma rifles from behind the door, trying to break through.

Alex was running beside Manny. “Damn, dude, that was really impressive,” she said. “I didn’t know you were that strong.”

Manny chuckled before coughing and wheezing, trying to catch his breath. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a duel of thoughts,” he admitted. “Honestly, I didn’t know how well I was going to do. I’m glad I made it out alive. I didn’t go into recruitment to have fights like that.”

Alex thought back to all the time Manny had spent helping her without saying anything. Having seen how powerful he was, she knew he could be using his talents anywhere else. It meant a lot to her that he had stuck by her for so long.

The cadets took a right turn at a corner and continued running. Behind them, Alex heard the door Manny had locked explode. Holmorth’s scream echoed down the hall.

The most frantic cadets were toward the front of the group, mostly younger students. Many of them were crying. Alex wouldn’t have been surprised if they were imagining how they were going to die. She might have been doing the same if it had been earlier in the day. Now all she could think about was getting to Chine.

Alex reached out to her dragon with her mind. She wasn’t sure if she was close enough to speak to him. Even though she had been fairly certain she could navigate the Wasp’s Nest blind, running through hallway after hallway while being chased by orcs had left her a little disoriented.

There was no reply. Alex tried again, focusing as hard as she could manage on Chine. Hey, Chine! Are you okay? she sent.

Still no reply. For the first time since the invasion started, Alex worried if Chine was alive. She had to get to him as fast as possible. If anything happened to him… Well, Alex didn’t know, but she felt the consequences would be terrible.

Chapter Six

The cadets raced down the changing halls of the crystal Nest. Alex had assumed the path would be straightforward, as it always had been before, but the Wasp’s Nest was doing its job. The nest was providing the cadets with what they needed: confusion to their enemies.

As the party ran through the hall, everyone trying to get their bearings, Gill shouted left or right as he saw fit. Alex could hear the orcs chasing them, their roars making them seem like a horde of nightmares eager for a butchering.

Gill was at the head of the group of cadets. He was doing a great job of keeping a level head, but Alex doubted he was ever anything other than calm. Regardless of the Nest trying to keep the orcs away from the cadets, Gill was making sense out of the ever-changing labyrinth.

Jollies had decided it made more sense to rest in Alex’s hand. She wasn’t used to flying so strenuously, and she was exhausted.

Brath, on the other hand, was up front with Gill, occasionally shouting to the cadets to keep going, rallying them.

Manny stayed at the back in case any of the orcs or Holmorth started to close in on the cadets.

Alex was replaying Manny’s battle with Holmorth in her head. She had never seen magic used in battle before. Not like that, at least. She had seen the Nest, and that was very different. Panic was starting to creep up on her, but she shoved it down as far as she could.

This isn’t the time to freak out, Alex thought. I keep telling myself that. When is the time to freak out? Freaking out would feel kind of nice about now.

For some reason, Alex had become extremely worried about Chine. She couldn’t get him out of her mind, and it confused her.

Gill pointed ahead and shouted, “Left now!”

The cadets took the left and the Nest closed the hallway behind them. They stood before a large crystal double door—the stables, at last.

One of the cadets reached out to the datapad next to the door. She pressed her hand to it, and the doors swung open. The cadets rushed in.

Manny turned to Gill and told him to turn the lights back on. It didn’t make sense to be running around in the dark. They might as well be able to see everything.

Gill did as he was told, hacking into the system as quickly as he could. The lights flickered on after a couple of seconds. Without thinking, Alex pulled off her blindfold. The light flooded her eyes, but she pushed past the pain.

The room was blurry but quickly coming into focus. Once her eyesight returned to her, she wished she could have looked away.

The stables were almost completely destroyed. There was rubble everywhere and no dragons to be seen. Alex thought back to the tremors and explosions she had felt when the invasion had first started. She hadn’t seen any damage to the rest of the Nest. The attack must have been focused on the dragon stables.

Alex grabbed Manny and shouted, “I need to find Chine!”

Manny avoided Alex’s eyes. He floated away, trying to get a grasp of just how much damage was done. “They can’t be dead,” Manny whispered. “Their cadets would have felt it. Everyone would have felt it.”

Brath walked away from the other cadets and said, “Maybe the Nest helped them like it’s been helping us. They could be hiding.”

Alex needed that little bit of hope. Hope was all she had. She pushed her way through the rest of the stunned cadets and ran farther into the main area, looking around to see if she could find where the dragons might have gone.

It felt like Alex’s whole plan was falling apart. She had put everyone in danger in the hope of getting to their dragons. Now they might be gone.

Everyone could end up dead because of me, she thought.

Her chest closed up, and her heart was racing. She kept thinking of the orcs—their footsteps echoing in the hall, their screams as they readied their swords and rifles. It was almost too much.

Tears poured out of the rider’s eyes. She felt like her heart was curling up. She wanted to scream, to cry, to be anywhere but where she was right then, yet she was there. The orcs weren’t going anywhere, and neither was she.

Alex faced the rest of the cadets. She didn’t bother wiping the tears from her face. Instead, she stared at the cadets as she hiccupped through her tears. “Manny says the dragons are here,” she said, her voice more confident than she felt. “Everyone, find your dragon. This is where we fight.”

Alex stepped away from the cadets, unsure if she had just ordered everyone to their deaths. It didn’t matter, though. Death had come for them. It was time to find out if they could postpone it for a little longer.

The cadets split up. No one said a word. They were all driven by the urge to find their dragons. Alex thought it might have to do with the binding. Maybe it was more than just the words Myrddin had said. The binding was obviously something far beyond Alex’s understanding.

Alex forced herself to stop thinking. She shoved away every thought that crept into her mind. There was only one thing to focus on—finding Chine. She reached out again, shouting in her mind, Chine! Where are you? Chine!

Chine’s voice came screaming through Alex’s head. She nearly fell over from the force of his thoughts. Child of Dust! Chine shouted. I have been trying to find you for hours. Are you okay? Please tell me you’re well?

Alex stopped running and stood still. Chine had been worried about her. He had known something was going wrong. And he was alive. Most importantly, he was alive. I’m okay, Alex thought to him. The Nest is under attack. Where are you?

We’re hidden. Some kind of magic of the Nest. You can turn it off. Find the central switch. Release us. There was fire in Chine’s thoughts. The dragon wanted to fight.

Alex scanned the stables, trying to see where the central control system was. Everything was rubble. It was impossible to see anything. It’s not impossible, Alex thought. I can do this. I can do this.

An explosion rocked the stables. Alex and the other cadets who were searching for their dragons turned to the doors of the stables.

Holmorth stood on the threshold, his staff raised, the orcs at his back. “Kill them!” Holmorth shouted.

The orcs poured into the room as the cadets shrieked and sprinted off. If she left the cadets, they were all going to die.

Manny went flying toward the orcs, his eyes white and filled with fury. The walls of the Nest bent to his will and shards of crystal flew, impaling six orcs and nailing them to the wall.

Behind Manny, Gill and Brath pulled out their rifles and fired at every orc they could see.

An orc slipped past the plasma fire and grabbed Brath by his red cap. The gnome screamed and fired a bolt of hot plasma point-blank that ripped through the orc’s face.

Manny was floating in the air, all of his tentacles flailing wildly. A concussive force shot out of him, pushing all of the orcs and Holmorth back toward the doors.

Alex started to work her way through the rubble. She had no idea what the control system looked like. She had never seen it through Manny’s eyes and had never touched it. This was worse than looking for a needle in a haystack. At least most people know what a needle and a haystack looked like.

Alex ran through the throng of cadets who were dispersing through the room as Manny continued to push the orcs and Holmorth back. Brath and Gill, now at his side, were shooting any orcs who managed to get past Manny’s psychic powers.

As Alex was running, her foot hit a large stone. She toppled over and fell into a pile of crystals and computer parts. When she sat up, she saw a computer screen. Could this be it? Alex thought. She scrambled to the computer screen and tried to find the keyboard. It was shattered, along with the CPU.

There wasn’t time to be concerned with what else was going around her. The dragon stables were filled with the scent of hot plasma and the screams of cadets and orcs. To look at it would have been too much. The only thing Alex could do was find the central computer switch. That was the important thing.

Alex picked herself up from the rubble and continued to search, grabbing anything in the crystal and dust that looked like it could help. Her mind was racing. Every possible scenario of her death played out in her head, but she kept searching.

“What are you doing in my stables!” a voice shouted over the cacophony.

Alex looked over her shoulder toward the source of the voice.

Tribble and Primerose were at another door in the stables. Primerose was carrying a gun or sword in each of her hands, reminding Alex of the god Kali. Tribble held two plasma machine guns, the straps over her shoulders. “These are my stables!” Tribble shouted as she started firing.

Primerose leaped at the orcs in front of her. Her hands were moving faster than Alex could see, slashing at orcs and firing at the same time.

Alex made herself look away. She was overwhelmed by all she was seeing. She had to focus. She had to find Chine and the other dragons. Alex pulled herself to her feet and ran through the stables, stopping to check any computer she saw.

A green switch, set apart from the rest of the tech around, sat in a pile of crystal dust. Alex saw it, ran toward it, and scooped it up in her hand. Please let this be it, she thought before flipping the switch.

There was a rush of air. Alex looked around. The Nest was gone. She was standing in a field of flowers. A blue sky filled with clouds was overhead. You found me, a familiar voice said.

Alex spun around and saw Chine sitting comfortably in the field. Where are we? Alex asked. Why aren’t you helping us?

Chine stood and shook himself, his scales rising as if he was a cat. We were put here, he explained. As soon as the attack happened. But you can bring us out.

How?

Chine pointed upward. Alex stared up at a portal in the sky. Through there. I’ll follow, and the rest will as well. Are you ready?

Alex hardly heard what Chine was saying. She leaped and landed on Chine’s back, then raised her dragon anchor and felt it connect. “Let’s do this!” she shouted.

Chine roared loudly as Alex pulled back on her anchor and leaned forward, urging Chine toward the portal.

The two of them passed through the portal and came out in the Wasp’s Nest. Manny was still holding off as many of the orcs as he could.

Holmorth had forced his way to the front of the fight. Lightning and fire shot from his staff as he pushed to get closer to Manny.

Chine landed in front of Manny and shot a jet of ether fire toward Holmorth.

The wizard pulled his staff back and covered his face, casting a barrier around himself that split the black fire around him. It engulfed the orcs who surrounded him.

Alex pulled her rifle from her back and started firing. The closest orcs fell.

Chine shot another plume of ether fire at the orcs surrounding him as Holmorth raised his staff, speaking in the old infernal tongue, preparing to conjure a creature.

Manny screamed, “Alex, don’t let him finish!”

Alex leaned forward, pulling her dragon anchor toward her. Chine charged toward Holmorth. That was when Alex understood the binding. What had taken place between her and Chine did not exist in a place of words, sight, or anything else. They were connected.

As Holmorth raised his staff to cast his spell, Chine grabbed the wizard. Alex could feel the adrenaline racing through the dragon’s body.

The dragon chomped down hard, trying to separate Holmorth’s body and seeking to swallow the top half. Before he could, the wizard disappeared, evidently choosing retreat over death.

The orcs were still screeching, firing their plasma rifles as dragon after dragon poured from the portal at the top half of the stables. The dragons found their way to their riders, each rider leaping atop their dragon.

It did not take long for the stables to be full of fire, lightning, and ice. The cadets did what they had been trained to do, each of them falling into their own pattern.

Alex flew above them all, watching the dragonriders drive off the orcs, burning or skewering any who were not wise enough to flee.

As Alex and Chine were flying, the doors of the stables burst open. A dragon ripped through the crystal, but it was not like any dragon Alex had seen before. It was a mech, yet almost indiscernible from the real thing.

The chest of the mech dragon opened, and Roy leaned out. His face was covered in blood and he shouted, “We rally here! If it’s an orc, it dies!”

Roy’s mech rampaged through the orcs in front of it, tearing them apart as its fire engulfed the rest. The dragonrider cadets followed Roy’s order and converged on the orcs.

The orcs fired plasma rifle blasts, but it was not enough. They fell. The dragonriders had won.

Chapter Seven

The funeral started around noon.

It had only been a day since the invasion. Nothing felt normal, if it had felt normal to begin with. Once the last of the orcs had been cleaned up, the remaining instructors and Myrddin had ushered everyone back to their rooms. No one had wanted to talk about anything.

Alex had spent the night staring at the ceiling of her room. She had spent countless nights in her life staring at her ceiling but had never actually seen it. The darkness she had known before would have been preferable.

Sometime during the night, as she was struggling to sleep, she opened the message she had received from her parents.

It was a video of them sitting next to each other, encouraging her to quit trying to fit in with everyone. They said that if people were worthy of her time, they would make themselves evident.

Alex almost laughed when she saw the message. The whole situation seemed so hard for her to understand now. She wasn’t concerned with a gnome picking on her, not anymore. There were orcs who wanted her dead, an army at the Dark One’s orders. What were bullies compared to that?

For a moment, Alex thought about sending her parents a message to let them know what had happened over the last twenty-four hours. She thought more about it and decided it wasn’t a good idea. Even she didn’t quite understand what had happened over the last day.

There had been lunch, a joust, and then an invasion by orcs and a dark wizard. That wasn’t something you sent in a casual message.

Instead, Alex pulled up her HUD visor and said, “Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad! I just got your message. Things have been going a lot better. That bully I was talking about? We’re not friends, but we also don’t hate each other anymore. And I have a really cool roommate. Also, there’s a hot dark elf. Hope everything is going well. I love and miss you guys.”

Alex ended the recording and sent the message. That was probably the most her parents were going to be able to deal with. She did say there was a hot elf.

Next was getting out of bed and getting ready for the funeral, the real part of the day. Jollies still hadn’t come back from breakfast so Alex had the room all to herself. It didn’t matter, though. She didn’t feel like enjoying her solitude.

The door opened, and Jollies fluttered into the room. She went straight to her bed and laid down. “Hey, dude, everything okay?” Alex asked.

Jollies rolled over and said, “Breakfast was hard. There were a lot of people missing.”

That was one of the reasons Alex hadn’t wanted to go to breakfast. She didn’t want to know the extent of how many cadets had been lost during the battle. It was ultimately unavoidable, but seeing it would hurt.

Jollies sat up and wiped tears from her eyes. “Almost time to get going, right?” she asked.

Alex came over to Jollies’ bed and rested her hand next to it, palm open, for the pixie to climb onto if she wanted. “Yeah, it’s getting to be about that time.”

The funeral took place in the Great Hall. The Wasp’s Nest had repaired itself, and It looked like nothing had happened. But the cadets knew.

Caskets were lined up before a podium, each of them open, each of them honored.

Myrddin stood behind the podium, his face grim and settled. The rest of the instructors sat behind him, all of them wearing black. Toppinir and Roy sat close to Myrddin, looking uncomfortable.

Alex filed into the hall with the rest of the cadets, trying to ignore how few there were now. She remembered it had almost been impossible to count how many cadets there were in the mess hall. Now she could put them all in her dorm room.

It felt like a defeat to see how many cadets she hadn’t saved. The hall felt bare, empty of souls.

At the front of the hall, Myrddin stood. He cleared his throat, and when he spoke, his voice was magically amplified to a soft boom, a resting thunder in the ears of the attendees. “Today we are gathered to honor those who have fallen.”

“The simple reality of what we face is death. There is no easy way to say this. Each and every one of us must face it. That being said, there are noble deaths, and there are cowardly deaths. Those who rest here today went down the noble path. They died in service to the realms. They died trying to keep the Dark One from destroying our lives.”

“I know this doesn’t make it easier for any of you. These were your friends, your family, and now they are gone. There is nothing I can say that will take away your pain, and I will not try to. The simple truth is, we were attacked. For seemingly no reason, the Dark One struck the Nest. Why? Intel? To cull our ranks? Maybe, but we believe the Dark One saw an opportunity to strike fear into our hearts, an opportunity to dull our resolve. New magics and technology are in place to prevent this from happening again. Security has been increased. We will not be caught off-guard again.”

Myrddin hung his head for a second as he gathered his words. “I have asked a great deal from all of you. I understand that, and I want you to know I understand. None of you has to be here. I will not hold you prisoner to agreements made previously. Now that you have seen war, seen loss…”

Myrddin’s voice cracked, and he stepped away from the podium. Roy stood up and took Myrddin’s place. “I think what Myrddin is trying to say is that we ain’t asking y’all to die. None of us are. What happened was terrible. We didn’t see it coming. I wish we had, and honestly, these deaths are on our heads.”

Toppinir nodded as Myrddin took a seat next to him. “We all lost friends,” Roy continued. “Those friends died heroes. That don’t make it any easier, though. Not at all. So, we’re here to honor them. Here to honor their sacrifices, and those who stay will make sure those sacrifices were not made in vain.”

Roy sat back down, and Toppinir stood and walked to the podium. “Now we will allow a viewing of the departed. Please feel free to pay your respects,” he said softly before sitting back down.

It took a while for the cadets to rise from their seats and approach the coffins at the front of the hall. Most of the cadets were teenagers, and it was the first time they had been confronted with death. Alex was the first amongst them. She stood and marched straight to the front.

Alex wore her blindfold during the service, but she pulled it off as she headed toward the bodies up front. The light was blinding, but she forced her way through it until it felt normal. Then she looked upon the dead who had fallen for the sake of Middang3ard.

At first, Alex didn’t recognize anyone, but that didn’t matter. They had all been living and breathing individuals with goals and fears and loves, and now they were gone. That was what mattered.

Then Alex’s eyes fell on Primerose. She was laid out with the cadets, her scales shimmering in the crystal light of the Nest. Her eyes were closed, a golden coin laid upon them like the rest of the dead. Her many arms were folded over her chest. She looked peaceful.

Alex leaned over and kissed her forehead. She didn’t know what else to do. She’d had no idea Primerose had been killed in the battle, and that knowledge rocked her to the core. Alex felt like she needed to sit down. It was all becoming too much.

Alex made her way back to her seat and watched the rest of the cadets pay their respects. She saw Gill, Brath, and Jollies make their way past the cadets and instructors they knew.

Once the living cadets had paid their respects, they returned to their seats. At the podium, Myrddin stood and cleared his throat as he wiped away his tears. “Even amongst the horrors we experienced, we will always have reasons to live, to celebrate, to continue forward,” he said.

“Bravery does not come easily and often is never commended. I would like to take a moment to do just that. Many of the people here are indebted to Alex Bound.”

Alex’s heart jumped in her chest. She stared at Myrddin, who was looking right at her. “Alex Bound,” Myrddin continued, “organized a party that rescued many of our cadets. She also freed our dragons and led the final stand against the Dark One’s forces.”

“She was accompanied by Jollies Dust, Gill Lowborn, and Brath Gimbel. These four individuals showed bravery and valor beyond their years.”

Myrddin started clapping, quickly joined by Roy and Toppinir and the rest of the instructors. The hall broke into cheers as the cadets stood up, clapping, and grabbed the four named cadets if they were close enough.

Someone hugged Alex tightly and thanked her. She didn’t know what to say or do. She just stood there blank-faced, trying to determine how she felt about what was going on around her.

“Alex the Boundless saved us!”

Alex didn’t know who had started the chanting. The hall was echoing her name.

Alex pushed the person who was hugging her away, then turned and ran out of the Great Hall.

Back in her room, Alex sat on her bed, trying to find words. She couldn’t understand why anyone would praise her. She had just done what she should have. And so many cadets had died. Who was she to be praised?

It hurt—all of it. There was nothing she could do about it.

Alex leaned over and clutched her stomach. A searing pain had started in her bowels and was working its way through her chest up to her throat. She ran to the bathroom in her dorm and knelt over the toilet.

Boundless—that was what they were chanting, the name she used in VR. But this wasn’t VR. Nothing about this was virtual. It was reality, plain and simple, and the reality was too much.

Dead orcs flashed in Alex’s mind, her knife stabbing one of them—the knife that was still on her side. That knife had killed. She had killed. The Great Hall was full of dead cadets.

Alex’s body convulsed as she threw up. Stomach acid burned her throat as she coughed and tried to pull herself up. It didn’t work. Her legs were too weak, and her entire body was trembling.

The last few days (or weeks, she didn’t know) had finally caught up with her. Everything she had been pushing down, pretending it wasn’t driving her crazy, came bubbling up to the surface. It needed to be gone. She needed to get it out.

Alex pulled away from the toilet and cowered in the corner as she sobbed. She tried to keep herself from crying. This was her life now.

She caught her tears in her hand and held it out. Alex had never seen herself cry. Part of her wanted to look in the mirror to see what this pain looked like.

Alex heard the door of her dorm room open and close. She jumped at the sound, worried that it might be an orc running into the room before she remembered the battle for the Nest was over. There were no orcs. It was just her roommate.

It hardly took any time to wipe her tears off and compose herself. She stared in the mirror, finally seeing herself. There were bags under her eyes from not sleeping the night before.

Alex didn’t recognize her reflection, but she had only seen it a few times. Is this me, she wondered. Is this who I am?

Alex walked out of the bathroom. Jollies was waiting for her, a plate of food next to her. “I thought you might be hungry,” Jollies said without meeting Alex’s eyes.

Alex was hungry. She had forgotten how hungry she was. “Thank you,” she managed to say.

Jollies took a deep breath before speaking. “They were chanting your name,” Jollies whispered. “Alex the Boundless.”

Alex forked a piece of bacon into her mouth and assumed it was obvious she couldn’t talk because her mouth was full.

Jollies didn’t relent. “Is that weird? I mean, do you feel weird about all that? People? Just all of it?”

Alex looked up from her food. “Yeah, I do,” Alex admitted. “It doesn’t seem right. With all… With everything that happened. No one should be saying my name. All I did was try to help, and I didn’t. Not enough. Not nearly enough.”

Jollies fluttered over and landed on Alex’s shoulder. She nestled close to Alex’s ear. “I know,” she said. “They were chanting my name, Gill and Brath too. It felt weird, like they shouldn’t have been doing it.”

“Myrddin made it sound like I saved everyone. I didn’t. You saw…you saw the funeral. I didn’t save anyone.”

“No, you didn’t.”

Alex tried to focus on her food. She still couldn’t get over the fact that she was seeing without Manny and not relying on the blindfold to numb her senses.

Jollies pulled Alex’s ear. “You didn’t save anyone. We did. All of us together.”

Alex laughed. She didn’t know where the laughter came from, but it was genuine. She couldn’t express how much she appreciated Jollies at that moment. “You’re right. It wasn’t me. It was all of us.”

“We did the best we could, and that’s the important thing. We can’t beat ourselves up about what we didn’t or couldn’t do. We did all we could.”

There was a knock. Both Jollies and Alex jumped at the sound. Alex went and opened the door.

Brath and Gill were standing looking haggard and unhappy. Alex opened the door wider and motioned for them to come in. Brath sat down on Alex’s bed, while Gill remained standing over by the door. “How are you guys doing?” Alex asked.

Brath pulled out his family’s knife and held it in his hand. “You didn’t stay for the rest of the funeral.”

“I couldn’t. It was all too much. I-I had to get out of there.”

Brath picked at his fingernails with his knife and nodded. “Yeah, I understand. I wish I hadn’t gone. It didn’t help. None of it helped.”

Gill walked over to Brath and rested his hand on the gnome’s shoulder. “We needed to pay our respects to the dead.”

Brath leaped off the bed and pushed Gill away. “Did we?” he asked. “Did we have to see everyone we couldn’t help? Did we have to lay coins on their eyes and hope they’re guided to the afterlife in peace? I don’t think we did. It didn’t matter if we were there or not. They’re dead.”

Gill walked away from Brath and sat at Alex’s desk. He hung his head, running his hands through his hair as he tried to find the right words. “We needed to be there,” he said. “It was important. We can’t run away from any of this.”

Gill looked at Alex, his face older than Alex had ever imagined it could be. He looked as if he had aged forty years, yet he still managed to smile. “We helped. We did everything we could. That’s what’s important. That’s all that matters.”

Brath solemnly nodded as he continued to pick at his fingernails. “Yeah, I guess,” he agreed. “It still feels really crappy.”

Jollies flew off Alex’s shoulder and flashed bright pink as she fluttered around the room. “That is the important thing, isn’t it?” she asked. “Isn’t that what being a dragonrider is all about? We’re here to do our part. To protect the realms as much as we can. And we started doing that yesterday.”

Alex knew Jollies was right deep in her heart, but that didn’t make the pain go away. Maybe the pain would never leave. Maybe the pain was important, even necessary. “So, did they sing a song for us?” Alex asked. “You know, like those old odes and stuff?”

Gill laughed. “Actually, they did,” he said. “Myrddin led it. It was terrible. Like, really bad. The guy cannot sing. At all. When Roy and Toppinir took over, it got better, but none of the cadets can hold a note. You didn’t miss anything.”

“What now?” Alex asked. “After all this, what are we supposed to do next?”

Gill pulled down his visor and then turned it off. “We keep going. There’s training tomorrow.”

There was nothing Alex wanted more than a break. She didn’t want to have to jump back on her dragon and continue on, yet that was what was expected of her. She was a dragonrider. That was what she was here for. “All right. What are we doing?”

Chapter Eight

The next day, Alex rose with the sun and went to breakfast, surrounded by cadets who whispered her name as she walked by. She grabbed a seat by herself and was joined by Jollies quickly enough. Neither of them spoke much.

About half an hour into breakfast, Brath and Gill sat down at Alex’s table. The four of them ate their meals in silence before getting up and leaving.

When Alex got back to her room, she checked her messages to see if she had received anything from her parents. The only message in her inbox was a reminder of the training she had to attend in an hour.

Alex laid in her bed and stared at the ceiling. She wasn’t wearing her blindfold. Her sight was much better. Today might be the first day she didn’t need Manny to trail behind her. Now that she thought of it, she hadn’t seen Manny at breakfast.

If anyone deserves a day off, it’s that weird ball of eyes, Alex thought.

Jollies got back to the room a little while after Alex, and they both got dressed and ready for their training. Jollies flew over to Alex and pecked her on the cheek. “It’s going to be okay,” Jollies said. “We’re all going to be okay.”

Alex playfully nudged the pixie. “Yeah, I know. We got this.”

The two left their room and made their way to the training field. The remaining cadets had already arrived, no doubt showing up early to avoid staying in their rooms and thinking about the last few days.

Brath and Gill were already on the field. They scooted over to make room for Alex.

Fier walked out onto the field. She looked tired, more tired than the cadets. “All right,” she shouted. “Today, we begin a new level of your training. I’m not going to waste your time trying to play nice about what happened. I respect you all too much.”

Alex felt Fier’s eyes on her, and she looked at the ground. When she looked up, she saw Manny at the far end of the field. The Beholder waved one of his eye tentacles and Alex waved back.

Fier paced up and down the length of the cadets. “Truthfully, I didn’t think any of us were going to survive, but here we are. Here you are, warriors in training. The Dark One is afraid of you. That’s why we were attacked. Take it as a backhanded compliment.”

Fier leapt into the air and wings spread out from her back. It was impossible to tell if she was mostly dragon or something else. “Get in the air,” she shouted. “Let’s get started.”

Alex raised her dragon anchor to the sky and called for Chine. She looked at the sun, its dazzling brightness, the blue skies, and the sparse white clouds.

Chine came to her in a flash of black smoke, faster than the rest of the dragons. Alex leaped onto him, and they took off.

Alex looked down at the other cadets. Many of them were still waiting for their dragons. I’m glad we made it through everything, Alex said to Chine. You and me.

Chine turned to look at Alex, his eyes dancing in a smile. I as well, he said. When we were trapped, I honestly wasn’t sure you and I were going to see each other again.

It’s weird. I feel like we never really talk. I mean, not as much as everyone else I see. Not as much as Jollies or Gill or even Brath. But I feel close to you. Like, if you weren’t here, maybe I wouldn’t be here.

Chine soared above the clouds as the rest of the riders started to take off. It is the binding. It is not a thing that can be put into words simply, but we are intertwined. Nothing will change that. I am here for you. You are here for me.

Fier and the rest of the cadets were now in the sky. Fier raised her hand and targets appeared in the air. She pointed at them and barked, “All right, everyone, get into groups of four. Take down your targets without using your dragon’s elemental powers. Got it?”

Jollies, Brath, and Gill made their way toward Alex without saying anything. The four of them sized up their targets and took off.

Jollies busted through the smaller targets, Amber firing her shoulder plasma cannons. Brath was right behind her, cleaning up the larger targets. One of the targets Brath hit split into two more targets and flew away from each other,

Gill went after the two new targets. Timber swiped the targets, his mech claws tearing through both of them.

Alex was at a loss as to what to do. All the targets in her vicinity had been destroyed.

Fier came up behind Alex, sneering. “Well, it seems like you four are far beyond target practice,” she said. “How about we try something a little bit more advanced?”

Fier waved her hand and the sky disappeared. It shimmered into darkness, a darkness Alex was familiar with. Guess it’s time for VR, Alex thought.

Chapter Nine

The blackness faded and opened up into the lush world of Middang3ard. Alex was still atop Chine, flying through the sky amidst clouds, but the clouds were different. When Alex looked down, she could see the villages and hamlets she had grown so accustomed to in Middang3ard.

Brath, Gill, and Jollies were still beside Alex. Gill was looking around as if he had been dropped into a reality he didn’t understand. “Where in the realms are we?” he asked.

Alex flew in front of her friends. “We’re in a VR simulation,” she explained. “Like the game I used to play. The game that brought me here. None of this is real. Well, not real in the sense that we can die or anything like that, but it’s real enough.”

Brath stared down at the world beneath him. “It almost looks like home. Almost.”

Alex’s heart broke for him, but before she could say anything, an icicle flew through the air, narrowly missing her head. If Chine hadn’t dodged at the last minute, it would have decapitated her. “We got incoming fire!” she shouted.

Whatever had thrown the icicle was obviously not in the air. That meant Alex needed to get to the ground as fast as possible. If their enemy could throw something that far, they must be extremely strong. “Come on,” she said as she leaned forward, directing Chine toward the ground.

Her dragon rocketed toward the ground. Alex blinked back tears from the speed. This was everything she loved, yet she knew it wasn’t real. Part of what she had loved about being a dragonrider was the game; this was just a reminder.

Chine and the rest of the dragons landed, throwing up dust and dirt all around them.

The four dragonrider cadets and their dragons were in front of a mountain covered in ice. Its summit was not visible, extending far into the clouds.

At the base of the mountain were twenty frost giants. They were at least ten feet tall, their lanky arms nearly scraping the ground. Ice hung from their fur, and icicles clung to their beards.

Alex leaned forward, spurring Chine onward. Chine shot a jet of ether fire at the frost giants.

The largest frost giant stepped forward and waved his hand, dispelling the fire.

Alex turned to the rest of her party and shouted, “It’s rigged against us! We can’t use dragon attacks!”

Brath shrugged as he pulled Furi back, trying to rein him in. “What do you mean, we can’t use dragon attacks?” he asked. “Or that it’s rigged against us?”

“This isn’t real life. There are certain rules that whoever made this is forcing us to play by, and one of them is obviously that dragon attacks can’t do anything. Gill and Jollies, get behind the giants. Brath, me and you are going to hit them head-on.”

No one asked questions. In a moment of precise coordination that frankly surprised and awed Alex, Gill and Jollies swooped behind the frost giants. Brath guided Furi over to Alex. “We have to use our weapons, just like the target practice we were doing. Come on, let’s do this!”

Alex leaned forward, and Chine charged toward the frost giants.

One of the frost giants reached down and pulled up a piece of earth. The dirt instantly froze over, and the giant threw it at Chine.

Chine shot a jet of ether fire that burned through the ice. At least the fire works for that crap, Alex thought as Brath and Furi flew past her.

Brath fired two plasma shots. One of them hit a frost giant in the chest, vaporizing it.

Gill and Jollies were in position behind the frost giants. They both started to fire their plasma cannons.

The frost giants turned around, stunned that they were being attacked from the rear. As the confused giants tried to make sense of what was happening, Alex zeroed in on the largest and fired a volley of plasma at him.

The plasma connected with the giant and burned through his torso, instantly eviscerating him.

Jollies and Gill were firing their dragons’ plasma cannons as fast as they could.

Gill leaned back, pulled up his visor, and scanned his options. He found one that worked for him and Timber and grinned as he let off a volley of missiles.

The missiles hit the center of the circle of frost giants, sending a couple of them tumbling.

As the frost giants caught up in the explosion soared through the air, Jollies swooped by using Amber’s extreme speed. Lightning crackled off both of them and they shot plasma bolts, taking care of whatever giants survived Gill’s initial blast.

Brath and Alex charged toward the remaining giants. “This is over!” Alex shouted as Chine reared up on his hind legs and shot a jet of celebratory fire.

Chine chomped down on one of the frost giants, ripping it in two. “This is a battle!” He chuckled.

Gill and Jollies cut through the back end of the frost giants, their missiles and plasma cannons shearing through the icy hides of the giants. Alex and Brath took care of the remaining giants in the front of the horde. Once the smoke had settled, only the dragonriders remained.

The world broke apart for a second and the bodies of the frost giants shimmered out of existence.

Suddenly, Alex and the rest of them were back in the Wasp’s Nest.

Fier walked up to the four cadets, smiling and shaking her head. “I don’t know why I didn’t assume you four would be the first to get through this,” she said. “Wasn’t expecting it to be in record time, though.”

Alex smiled as she looked at Brath, Jollies, and Gill. “Yeah, well, that’s how you take care of a threat.” She laughed. “At least in VR. Makes it a little easier when I know I’m not going to get killed.”

“And I see, no pun intended, that you didn’t need to bring along your seeing-eye Beholder.”

Alex hadn’t even realized she hadn’t brought Manny along for the ride. The thought hadn’t crossed her mind. She had been looking through her own eyes the entire time. “Yeah, I guess I didn’t have to,” Alex muttered.

“Oh, don’t go on being modest. We don’t have time for that crap. We need heroes. Looks like you four might be right for the job.”

Chapter Ten

Alex woke up around the same time as Jollies and they both changed into their new red uniforms. Today was the day. It had come faster than Alex had assumed it would, but it was here. She was going to graduate from being a cadet to being a dragonrider.

When Jollies and Alex stepped out of their room, Gill and Brath were waiting in the hall for them. The four of them walked to the Great Hall, turned a corner to the left, and headed toward Myrddin’s office.

Myrddin was waiting for them, sipping a cup of tea as he leaned back in his chair. Fier and Roy were with him. Roy stood in the corner as if he hoped to be hidden by the shadows. Fier, on the other hand, sat on top of Myrddin’s desk.

There were no seats, so Alex and the rest stood at attention. She didn’t know if it was appropriate since she had never been instructed to stand in such a way, but she’d read enough books to feel like it was the best decision.

Myrddin stood up, his face grave, as usual. “You all probably read the message I sent you by now,” Myrddin said. “I don’t see the point in repeating it. That being said, I am immensely proud of you four. Immensely. But we do not have time for congratulations.”

The room started to contort, the crystal walls moving out and making room for more. Myrddin’s office opened into a larger room, one as vast as the Great Hall.

Scientists zoomed by on hoverboards, checking on different computer terminals and monitors.

The monitors showed different realms. There were dozens of them, teams of scientists poring over what they were watching.

In addition to the monitors displaying the realms, there were also scrying stations. At least ten dedicated wizards stood over large bowls of water. Alex assumed they were trying to figure out what was in store for Middang3ard.

Myrddin started walking through the room, and Alex and the rest of the newly appointed dragonriders followed. “You all know we are at war,” Myrddin stated. “And you four are moving to the forefront of it.”

“You are the Dragonriders Boundless, second only to our first and foremost squad, which you will be backing up. Roy is in charge of that squad, the mech dragons—his idea, not mine. You will be accompanying him and his squad on their next mission.”

Alex was still trying to take in everything that was happening around her. She almost didn’t hear Myrddin’s words. She and Gill and Brath and Jollies were part of a squad now? She had just arrived at the Wasp’s Nest a few days ago.

Myrddin continued walking, and the Boundless followed him.

A staircase appeared in front of Myrddin, and he ascended it and stepped onto a platform. Manny was there, floating in front of a dozen monitors. One of his tentacled eyes flipped over and looked at the Boundless team. “We’ve come full circle, haven’t we?” he joked.

Alex looked at the monitors. Each of them showed a different realm.

Myrddin stood next to Manny and straightened his tie. “Your mission is to accompany Roy and his Mech riders as they transport minerals and other resources to Middang3ard. These minerals will be used for weapons. It is of the utmost importance that this delivery arrives on time. I am trusting you all with this task.”

The Boundless squad looked at each other. Alex was the one to speak. “You want us to do this?” she asked.

Myrddin smiled. “Yes, I do. I trust you all,” he said as he turned his back to her. “And I believe I have a worthwhile addition for you.”

Myrddin waved his hand, and the monitors disappeared. In their place was a floating platform.

It was Jim, her former partner in Middang3ard VR, waving and smiling like a dork. He was outfitted in the armor of the dragonriders. “Hey, guys,” he exclaimed before turning to Alex and saying, “Long time no see!”

Author Notes Ramy Vance

January 30, 2020

I started writing rather late in life, and in that time and I had failed a lot. Failed businesses, relationships … but failing at failing?

Seriously, what kind of loser am I?

You see, before I started taking my writing seriously, I thought it would be cool to do a blog about failing. I figured that that only way to really learn is to fail. And not just fail – fail fast and often.

I learned a lot about myself in all the things I tried and did not succeed at. More than I care to share. So I started this website/blog called: Who Fails Wins. Check it out here. The video is pretty cool.

The goal was to get 100 stories about failure. If I got it, I’d start the blog.

I got 34. And most of the stories weren’t really fail stories, but rather stories about sort of failing. Things like: I failed my French test, studied real hard, tried again and passed.

Not really a fail story.

But a few people took it seriously, and since this failed endeavour deserves to be shared, I thought I’d share the top three stories. The first one is from me.

I held back the name of the other two, but know that all three stories are real – and from people who felt real pain for something that they carried/will carry with them for their whole lives.

Sorry to be such a downer on this one, but as someone who knows that stories heal, maybe stories about failure will have their strange, healing benefits, too.

My Story – Never Said It Out Loud:

I quit my job to take care of my dying father. It took nine months for the cancer to take him and in all that time, in all those hospital visits, all the hanging out we did watching old movies or chatting, I never once told him that I loved him. I thought about it, but for reasons I don’t quite understand, I just never did. He probably knew, but I still wish had said it out loud. Even if only once.

Fail Story 2 – Never Letting Go:

I am 89 years old and have two children who are almost senior citizens themselves. My failure is never letting go of the pain of the loss of what would have been my second child. He was a still born that I named Michael and he is buried in my Church cemetery. When I go, I have asked my daughter to spread my ashes on the grave of a child that I never heard cry.

Fail Story 3 – Nagging Dreams:

Since I was 12 I’ve wanted to be an artist. I studied art and got my degree. I had to decide if I had the courage to be a full-time artist depending on sales. I opted for the path of least resistance, teaching. I never gave up my art or my dream of being a renowned artist which I never achieved. Failure? I now have an adequate pension for retirement. I had a family life and raised a son. I still do my art and I participate in group and solo shows. BUT my elusive dream still nags me.

Author Notes Michael Anderle

February 1, 2020

Seriously Ramy? Failure? Damn you, man!

Thank you for reading our words, but I JUST read Ramy’s Author Notes. I usually go along with the theme of my collaborator’s Author Notes to keep us whole, but then he went and chose to write about failing.

Which was my business life to a degree before I failed to fail.

They say a person who succeeds is often enough not the best, but the one stubborn asshat who just never understood the concept of quitting. When the dust settled, he or she was the one there picking up their pick and slamming it into the mountain again, going after the dream.

That is me.

I was not a storyteller from a young age, crafting stories on notebooks through my teen years and receiving dozens of rejections (hundreds or thousands.) Nope. I quit. I failed.

I ran with my torn heart, ripped to pieces by well-considered opinions not willing to see the gems of encouragement on my…well, actually on me.

I tried ONE time to send in a story to my high school literary magazine and was rejected. I enjoyed that so much I stole my manuscript out of the slush pile, hid it in my backpack, and never submitting anything again until thirty-two years later.

And that submission was to Amazon.

Ad Aeternitatem, baby!

Diary: Sunday Jan 26th – Saturday Feb 1st

First, the fun part. WOOT, Goth Drow! It’s a new series I’m happy about, and it will be coming to you in early March as one of our LMBPN Large Releases of about 180k words.

Like Witch of the Federation or The Steel Dragon size.

This week, I spoke with ALLI (Alliance of Independent Authors) on a recorded video call for their symposium on selling foreign rights (with others, including Judith Anderle, our CMO for the company, who honestly spoke the most for LMBPN since it’s her area of expertise.)

I finished a book titled In Cold Type by Leonard Shatzkin, written in 1983. The book helped open my eyes to the issues in the bookselling business. I hope to figure out a way and implement a solution for selling paperbacks (which is about .02% of our income, if that much.)

I greenlit (well, maybe only in my mind) Cryptid Assassin 05… but don’t have a clue on where I want the story to go yet.

(I might want to get on that.)

Before I do that, I have two story beats to review and approve and Opus 5 editing to finish.

I’ve been ill for the last forty-eight hours and had to learn to respect my body once again. It has probably been twelve months or longer that I have gone without any serious sick downtime. There is nothing like experience to foster sympathy through empathy, at least for me.

There is going to be a big author signing/fan get together or something going on the Friday after the 20Booksto50k Event here in Las Vegas in November (the show runs Tuesday to Thursday 10th-12th). Yes, yes, I know that is Friday the 13th ;-). I didn’t set the date—ask Martelle about that one! The event will be held at Sam’s Town Casino and Hotel (about twenty minutes east of the Strip driving straight over.)

For those who know, I’m doing a weight loss “thing” with my older brother. My goal was to be under 220 by Feb 1st. I weighed in at 218.8.

Go, Team! (I imagine being sick and unable to eat much helped, but what the hell. I’m keeping that W on my side.) I need to finish on June 30th at UNDER 202.0 lbs. If it looks like I might miss it, you may see Anderle doing all sorts of crazy stuff to drop weight.

I’m going to wrap up this diary post since I’m about two days past due on a lot of work. Take care of yourselves, and I’ll chat with you in the next… OH OH!

New Universe coming 2020! (Well, uh, that’s not even a big deal anymore—it’s LMBPN. OF COURSE, THERE IS A NEW UNIVERSE COMING!)

Enjoy.

Michael Anderle

First Mission

Dragon Approved™ Book Five

Chapter One

It was Alex’s first weekend off since she became a dragonrider cadet. She was surprised the instructors cared enough to give any of them time off, although she was glad to have it. The events of the invasion of the Wasp’s Nest were still hard to deal with.

Alex was spending her Saturday staying in bed far later than she could have gotten away with at home. However, she did wake up early enough to snag breakfast before the rest of the cadets made their way to the mess hall.

Hot chocolate and cereal were all the breakfast she needed. Currently, Alex had all of her blankets over her and was propped up on her pillow, casually flipping through her HUD to see what textbooks had been loaded onto it.

Underneath the covers, it was cozy. It was familiar, even if the bed wasn’t hers, and she had no idea what the covers were made of. Something soft—that was the part that mattered.

Alex had found a book titled Advanced Tactics for Dragon Battle Groups of Ten or Larger and opened it. It was more than just trying to kill time; reading always kept her mind off things, and there was a lot Alex didn’t want to think about at the moment.

From the looks of it, the entire curriculum had already been uploaded onto Alex’s HUD. Every class’s books were open for her to read whenever she had time. Finding that out was a mistake, Alex thought to herself, fully aware she was going to have to stay on top of her reading. It really was easier reading letters than Braille. She was glad she had learned in Middang3ard VR.

Ever since she was a kid, Alex couldn’t pass up a book. It didn’t matter what kind of book it was. She didn’t care whether it was fiction or non-fiction, or if she liked the subject. If it was written and she could access it, she was going to read it like some kind of literature-craving hoarding-dragon.

Alex’s love of reading had definitely benefited her with a wide range of knowledge. Some facts were useful. Others, a large number of them, seemed as if they were far too specific to be useful. But, Alex thought, better to know than not, just in case.

The dorm room door opened and Jollies flitted into the room, holding a plate of food far too large for her. She set it down on Alex’s desk and then flew over to her own bed, which was across the room. “Still in bed, I see.”

Alex pushed her HUD down so she could see Jollies. “Hey, it’s been a long week,” she argued. “You can’t blame me for wanting to keep the day as simple as I can.”

Jollies sighed as she threw her arms up in exasperation, her color changing from a soft yellow glow to deep blue. “That’s exactly why we should be celebrating!” the pixie shouted. “We’re alive! We need to capture our lives, and truly use them! We can’t waste any time!”

Jollies zoomed around the room, doing a couple of laps before coming back to her chair and taking a seat. “I’m just saying, it’s kinda lame to stay in bed all day. Unless you’re hiding from something. I can’t see you hiding from anything, not after what you did. Talk about badass.”

Alex pulled her HUD back up and tried to ignore all the noise Jollies was making flying around the room and yelling. “I’m not hiding from anything,” Alex muttered under her breath.

Jollies flew toward Alex’s face, hovering below her nose. “Are you sure?” she inquired. “Are you telling me the whole truth or half a truth? Because I know something or someone you might want to hide from.”

“What are you talking about, Jollies?”

“Two young men were asking about your whereabouts this morning. Both of them seemed very disappointed that you had decided to stay in bed all day. You sure you don’t want to see them?”

And there it was, the thing Alex had spent her entire morning trying not to think about—Gill and Jim. Even when she had been running for her life, it had been hard not to stare at Gill’s butt. It looked so good in his armor, and he was unbelievably smart and levelheaded.

Jim was a whole other problem, one Alex had never thought she was going to have. She had been crushing on Jim ever since they’d started playing together in Middang3ard, but she had assumed she was just never going to meet him. People from VR hardly ever met in person.

Yet, here he was. He was even hotter than his avatar. His jawline was laughably chiseled for a teenager, and he looked like he played sports. Beyond that, Alex felt like she knew him. He was the only person she had ever felt close to in VR.

Staying in bed would be so much easier than running into either of them, especially since she knew she wasn’t going to talk to them. Yep, that was the best course of action.

Jollies poked Alex’s nose. “Hey! Aren’t you even going to ask me about it?”

Alex laughed as she tried to look Jollies in the eye. “No, I’m not since I don’t care which boy was asking about me.”

Jollies grasped her heart and mimed dying and falling out of the air. She lay crumpled on Alex’s lap. “How could you not care?” she squeaked. “Two boys are madly in love with you, and you don’t care who they are?”

“Nope. Not even a little bit.”

“You’re no fun,” the pixie said as she walked down the length of Alex’s leg. “Also, I noticed you haven’t put your blindfold back on. And Manny’s nowhere around. You’re getting better at using your eyes, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, a lot better. I’m not getting headaches anymore. Sometimes there’s still too much detail, and my brain gets kinda wonky, and everything goes fuzzy. And I still don’t know how to do any of the crazy stuff that dragons do with their eyes. But it’s loads better.”

Alex’s HUD pinged, indicating she had received a message. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized it was probably her parents responding to her. “Hold on, Jollies, I think my parents just messaged me.”

But it wasn’t them.

Alex opened the message, and her heart sank—not because she was disappointed that it wasn’t from her parents, but because it was from Jim.

The message read, What are you up to today?

Alex wasn’t certain how to reply. On the one hand, she wanted to see Jim more than she had let on since Myrddin had suddenly introduced him from out of nowhere. On the other, Alex was terrified of sitting down and talking with him.

After taking much longer than she thought reasonable to respond, she texted, Nothing much. How about u?

Jim texted back. Just going for a walk in the field after breakfast. Want to come with?

Now Alex had to think.

A walk sounded nice.

It also sounded awful.

So much could go wrong. What if she said something stupid or blurted something that made Jim uncomfortable? Why was all this so hard?

Yeah, a walk sounds good.

Jim sent a smiley face and responded, Cool. I’ll see you at the field at a quarter past twelve.

Alex’s heart skipped a beat. Not only was he hot, smart, and capable, but he was also considerate about time, one of Alex’s biggest pet peeves. This was definitely not a good idea.

Jollies looked at Alex, a grin on her face. “Why do you look so worried all of a sudden?”

Alex cast a disapproving look at Jollies. “What did you tell Jim?”

“Just that you would be spending all day in bed. And that you were dying for some company.”

Alex instantly regretted having spoken to her roommate about how weird it was to see Jim again. She hadn’t considered that the pixie was empathetic, and she’d completely forgotten what Jollies had said about pixies and their feelings.

Alex picked up her pillow and swatted at Jollies as the pixie shrieked with laughter and flew away. “I also told him you were madly in love with him.” She cackled as she flew around Alex’s head.

“Are you serious? Why would you do that?” Alex buried her head in her pillow and shook it. “That is not a cool thing to tell humans,” she whined. “He probably thinks I’m out of my mind and wants to hang out to tell me not to be such a creep.”

“Or maybe he’s going to declare his undying love for you!”

Alex got off the bed and chased Jollies, who shrieked again. Her skin glowed bright pink as she zoomed around the room. “I’m going to kill you, Jollies,” Alex shouted.

Jollies easily evaded Alex. She was just too fast. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Jollies said after she stopped zipping around. “I might be a pixie, but I’m not tone-deaf. I wasn’t trying to make things more complicated for you. Just a little complicated.”

“Well, you succeeded.”

“When are you guys supposed to hang out?”

Alex looked at her dragon anchor to see the time. “In a few hours,” she said. “And you and I are not on speaking terms right now.”

Jollies flew to Alex’s face and kissed her on the nose. “Hardly,” she said. “We’re on even better speaking terms. I want all the juice on this kid, and when you get back, you’re telling me everything.”

Alex sighed as she collapsed onto her bed. “All right, fine. But you have to promise not to be weird.”

“Promise on my first set of wings,” Jollies agreed as she held her hand behind her back, her fingers crossed.

* * *

Alex walked out onto the field. It was a beautiful day. The sky hardly had any clouds in it, and the sun was beaming down. It wasn’t too cool or too warm. This was the kind of day to be outdoors. She wondered if she could take Chine out, or if there was some kind of paperwork that needed to be filled out first.

The time Chine and Alex had spent together so far had been training-related, except the battle they had narrowly won. It couldn’t be weird for Chine and Alex to hang out, though. They were bound together, after all.

Jim was sitting under a tree in the part of the field where it met the forest. Alex wondered if the forest was also part of the Nest. She hadn’t seen it before except from dragonback.

Alex waved at him as she approached, and Jim stood up to greet her. “Hey, Jaws,” she said, trying to sound as casual as possible. Jim extended his hand to her. “Nice to meet you in person. I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced.” He smiled shyly as Alex took his hand, and they shook.

“Yeah, I didn’t really get a chance to talk to you when you first showed up.”

Jim pointed to the forest. “I wanted to check this out. I haven’t seen a proper forest before, being a city boy and all that.”

“Sure, and I’m pretty certain everyone playing VR games is a city person. Would you be playing video games if you had anything interesting around?”

Alex and Jim left the field behind. The forest was ominously dark, the trees growing thickly everywhere except on the walking path. “I highly doubt it. One of my favorite parts about VR was how much nature was everywhere. Even in the village.”

“Do you remember that one elf village we went to? The one in the trees? That was wild.”

Jim stared up at the canopy, nodding. “Yeah, that was pretty crazy. I wonder if real elf cities are like that. It would be amazing to see them. You know, in real life. I would never have thought they were real.”

“Yeah, and what about the dragons?”

Jim turned to Alex, grinning. “Wouldn’t have ever thought those were real either,” he agreed. “I still haven’t met a dragon, but then again, I’m not a rider, not like you. I’m part of the mech program under Roy. My dragon is metal.“

“So, I’m still the only human rider,” Alex muttered to herself.

“Excuse me?”

“Ahh, sorry. It’s just that when Myrddin recruited me, he said I was the first human rider. Then you showed up, and I was kind of like, guess that didn’t last long. But you’re in the mech program, and, well, I wonder what’s up with that?”

“Yeah, I hear that. I asked to be a rider, but I was turned down flat. Something about reaction times and not having a magical nature.”

Alex sighed. “Too bad. You are an incredible rider.”

“VR rider,” Jim countered.

“Rider,” Alex corrected. An awkward silence fell between them, and suddenly Alex just wanted to run. That wasn’t an option, so she took another tack. “How did you get into the program? Did you beat the raid?”

Jim laughed and shook his head. “No, I failed every time after you got in. I couldn’t even get into the bee vortex without you. No one would even listen to me when I told them how to get past the bees. Now I see why you didn’t bother explaining and just did it.”

“Yeah, sometimes people aren’t going to listen to you. But you didn’t tell me how you got in, you just told me how you didn’t.”

“Oh, yeah, that. Well, my dad is in the military, some really upper-level stuff. He’s not even allowed to talk to us about it. But I figured, why not ask? If the VR game was a recruitment tool like everyone was saying, it would make sense that the military knew about it.”

“Yeah, it would.”

“So, I asked my dad, and he didn’t want to tell me anything, but I kept after him. I showed him the game, all my stats and everything. He didn’t say anything at first, but the next day there was this military guy in the living room. He asked me all sorts of weird questions, and then out of nowhere, he handed me an application.”

Alex almost didn’t believe what she was hearing. “Wait, you got into the program just by applying?” she asked.

“Not quite. Turns out, my dad has been working for the mech department of the dragonriders, doing a lot of organization. He told me that when I showed him my stats, he couldn’t in good conscience fail to pass my information along.”

“He didn’t have a problem with his son going to war? He did know that it’s a for-real war, right?”

“Of course, he did. He works for the military, remember? We had a long talk about it. He said it was my decision to make, and he knew I’d find a way eventually if I wanted. So, I filled out the application, and he got it to the right people.”

Alex stared at the shadows moving throughout the trees. “That’s pretty cool,” she finally said. “I had to fight my mom and dad. They didn’t let me go until I showed them what the VR world was like. I think they kinda forgot about the whole ‘fighting the Dark One’ part after that.”

“Or maybe they thought you could handle yourself. That’s what my dad told me. And most of the trust he has in me is because of you.”

Alex looked away from the trees and met Jim’s eyes. “What do you mean?”

Jim sat down on a tree stump and sighed as he clasped his hands together. “You’re amazing on a dragon,” he explained. “From the first time I saw you, I knew you were special. I always watched you closely. A lot of what I do when I’m in the air is because I saw you do it.”

Alex blushed and turned to hide her face. As she turned, she saw Gill and Brath walking through the forest along the same path, heading right toward them. Damn it, Alex thought.

Gill waved amicably at Alex and Jim. “Greetings,” he called. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

Jim rose and reached out to shake Gill’s hand, who took it heartily. “I’ve heard a lot about you from the instructors. You and Alex handled yourselves pretty well when the orcs came through.”

Gill nodded, his face betraying no expression. “Thank you. Alex was invaluable to our defense. I’ve heard good things about you as well, Jaws, is it?”

“That’s my call name, but yeah, Jaws.”

“Myrddin seems particularly excited to have you riding with us. I hope you’re a good fit for us cadets.”

Jim smiled widely. Alex’d had no idea Gill could be so friendly. It made her wonder why he had seemed so cold to her.

“What are you guys doing out here?” Jim asked.

Gill pointed down the path. “There’s a spot up ahead where I like to meditate. I was going to try to teach Brath how to calm his spirit and see deeper into his center.”

Jim got down on one knee so he could be face-to-face with Brath. “I don’t think I’ve met you yet either. My name’s Jim, but my friends call me Jaws.”

Brath slapped away Jim’s hand and spat on the ground. “Three things. One, don’t ever kneel to look a gnome in the eye. It’s rude. We know we’re shorter than you. Two, we aren’t friends, human. I can hardly tolerate your kind. Three, you keep trying that nice human crap, I’m going to knock that smile off your face, you got me?”

Jim stood up, looking like he had just bitten into a lemon. “Okay, I guess. Nice to meet you, too,” he muttered.

Brath pushed past Jim and walked past Alex, stopping for a moment. “Good to see you too, Boundless. Hope you two had a good walk, but a word of advice. You two probably shouldn’t mate. You would have hideous children. I’m talking goblin-ugly.”

Gill shook his head as he walked after Brath. “I don’t believe in apologizing for friends, but I think we can all see that Brath might benefit from meditating. It was nice running into you two. See you around.”

Gill and Brath disappeared into the forest, leaving Alex and Jim standing in awkward silence. There was a lot for Alex to take in. The easiest one was Brath’s change of attitude to her. He didn’t seem friendly in the least, but he did seem like he respected her. She could say the same about him.

Next was Gill. He was so cordial and outgoing to Jim. Did he suspect something? Was there a reason for him to, or had he just started to come out of his shell a little bit? Alex didn’t know anything about drow or their personalities, and she did very much want to get to know Gill.

Which brought her to the next point, rounding out the topics she could obsess over for the next few days—Jim. Not the baby part. She couldn’t care less what their kids would look like. She was more concerned with what their faces would look like if they were mashed together.

Jim cleared his throat as he awkwardly kicked a rock next to him. “What’re you thinking about?” he asked.

“Huh? Oh, nothing. Nothing. Just lunch. Getting kinda hungry, right? I think I’m going to head back. All this exercise has got me famished. I’ll catch you around.”

Alex headed back toward the Nest as fast as she could, only realizing later how rude she must have seemed, running away from Jim after he’d asked her to go on a walk. It didn’t matter, though. She knew things were going to get weirder soon enough. Might as well be the one to get it started.

Chapter Two

Alex was making her way back to her dorm room through the Nest when she felt something tugging on the back of her mind. It was like having a word on the tip of your tongue; you knew it was there, but you didn’t know why or how.

She had a rough idea of what that feeling was. She had felt it a couple of times since she’d arrived at the Nest. It wasn’t something she usually had time to focus on, but it had continued happening. It was similar to how she felt when she was close to Chine.

Alex decided she would go to her room later. She would head to the stables now instead.

It didn’t take long for Alex to find the stables, even with the Nest’s halls constantly shifting and changing. Sometimes Alex wondered if the Nest was trying to make her life easier or harder. She still hadn’t gotten lost, so maybe it didn’t matter.

Alex stood before the entrance to the stables. She held out her hand, and the crystals provided her with the datapad. She pressed her hand to it and the doors split open, revealing the stables.

The lights instantly came on when Alex stepped into the room. This was the first time she had been in there by herself. Obviously, it wasn’t a big deal since her credentials had worked without a problem. Alex made a mental note to start stopping by here more often. When everyone was gone, the stables were pretty calming.

Alex walked up and down the rows of dragon-outfitting stations. From what she had seen the last time she was here, the dragons used the areas above their stations as beds. The ceiling of the stables opened to the sky, so the dragons could come and go as they pleased.

There weren’t any signs on the outfitting stations saying which dragon used which one. Maybe they were all interchangeable, or maybe the dragons didn’t need to be told what to do.

Alex reached out to Chine with her mind. Hey, Chine, are you in here?

The response hit Alex like a truck. This was probably the first time that she heard Chine alone before. Usually, they were surrounded by others. That probably did something to dampen the effect of Chine’s psychic abilities.

You heard me calling!

Yeah, I heard you from halfway across the Nest.

I do have a loud voice, but I wanted to speak to you. Continue on your path and you will find me.

Alex did as she was instructed and followed the winding path until she came to a station she knew Chine was in. His tail curled around him and his wings relaxed, Chine was lying on what looked like a bed of leaves and flowers.

Chine looked at Alex, his eyes sharp and bright. You should come up here.

Alex didn’t need to be asked twice. She climbed onto the platform and stood near the wall, uncertain of how close she should get to the dragon. Even though she had ridden Chine a handful of times, this felt very different. What did you want to talk to me about?

Chine rolled over lazily and huffed out a column of smoke from his nostrils. There wasn’t anything I wanted to talk to you about. I just wanted to talk to you.

Oh, that’s different.

How so? Do humans always have to have a reason to talk to each other? A pressing subject on their mind?

Alex shrugged as she stepped farther into the dragon’s sleeping area.

Not really. But usually, when someone says they want to talk, it’s about something specific. A problem or something.

Ah. I can drum up a problem if you want. I can be quite critical.

Alex raised her hands and shook her head.

No, no, no. You don’t have to do that. We can just talk.

Come here and sit with me.

Chine lifted one of his wings, and Alex could see there was a nice spot to sit directly beneath it. She gingerly made her way over to her dragon, suddenly aware of how large and deadly he was, and sat beside him. Chine relaxed his wing, and it covered Alex the way a friend might put their arm over your shoulder.

Chine’s wings didn’t feel as leathery as they looked. They were covered in small scales. The dragon was very warm, and Alex felt like she was under a blanket.

Is this what you do all day?

Chine looked at Alex, his eyes sharp. Alex wasn’t sure how to read them yet.

Not usually. The rest of the dragons are out at the moment. I thought it would be nice to have some time to myself, away from them.

I was going to stay in bed all day, too.

Alex, you don’t seem very comfortable right now. Why is that?

Alex looked down at her hands, which she had clasped, unknowingly cracking her knuckles in turn.

How did you know?

We are bound together. There are many things we will know about each other, but I don’t need to be a psychic to see you fidgeting.

It’s not that I’m uncomfortable. It’s just…I don’t know; this is all very different than in VR. It’s not unnerving, it’s…it’s all new. And it makes me feel like I might be doing something wrong.

Chine leaned forward and gently rested his chin on the top of Alex’s head.

It takes time to get comfortable with the binding, even more so for those who played VR. I believe your dragons in the game are silent. Mere steeds. Dumber than horses, correct?

Alex bashfully looked away, ashamed she had expected Chine to be like that. Yeah, pretty much.

It only makes sense you would feel confused by riding a talking, thinking creature you have a telepathic link with.

When you put it that way, I don’t feel nearly as dumb.

Exactly, Dustling. You have high standards. Perhaps don’t hold yourself to them so strictly.

Alex relaxed a little bit and leaned against Chine. She had assumed the relationship between her and her dragon was going to be like having a pet, not a mentor.

Not a mentor, said Chine, an equal. We are one and the same.

A plume of smoke shot out of Chine’s nostrils as he sighed. He took a huge, heaving breath that threw Alex off balance as she leaned against him. She could feel his heart beating through his chest. It felt nice, and it felt like they were closer.

So, what do you do all day? Alex asked.

Chine sat up and looked at the dragons waltzing with the clouds in the sky.

I usually think. There is much to ponder in the universe, and I am still young, and without the knowledge of my kind. It leaves much to the imagination.

What do you mean, the knowledge of your kind?

We dragons were raised here, away from the rest of our species. We did not receive the ancestral stories and legends, or the wisdom of our parents. It is a painful loss and yet a beautiful gain, for we are almost like the first dragons. We are free of our past to become ourselves.

Chine stood and stretched his wings.

My wisdom and that of my brothers and sisters is ours alone and no one else’s. There is pride in that.

Chine was still staring at the sky.

Do you want to go for a ride?

Alex’s heart leaped in her chest. She still didn’t know the proper way to approach Chine about riding, but the dragons must love flying on their own. Alex was fairly certain none of the dragons flying above them had any riders.

Sure, I would love to!

Then let us go.

Alex jumped onto Chine’s back and linked her dragon anchor to the collar around his neck. They both glowed the same color, then Chine leaned back on his hind legs, flapped his wings, and soared into the air.

The wind cut Alex’s face, and she raised her HUD visor to cut back some of the light coming off of the sun. This was why she was a dragonrider—for each and every moment like this.

* * *

Alex got back a little bit after dinner. She went straight to the mess hall to see what was left over. She had forgotten the hall was magical and food was always stocked, hot or cold, depending on what you wanted. There was no line, so she piled on whatever she wanted. She was feeling adventurous today. Her heart was still racing from the ride she had gone on with Chine.

The two of them had floated high above the clouds and just coasted. They didn’t speak. They’d watched the dragons dance beneath them and the clouds move across the sky. She had no idea how long she was up there. The only reason they’d left was that Chine wanted to take a nap before they got fitted for new equipment.

Alex had completely forgotten about the fitting and the mission Myrddin had assigned the new dragonrider team, having been caught up in the prospect of a full weekend off. Now taking a weekend for themselves made sense. Myrddin was probably just letting them catch their breath before they shipped out.

The mission Myrddin had explained sounded simple enough—provide backup for the mech riders while they transported minerals to craft weapons out of. Alex assumed the mission would be anything but simple, though, since Myrddin had made coming to the Wasp’s Nest sound simple.

If the mech riders weren’t capable of performing this mission on their own and needed backup, that probably meant Myrddin was expecting problems. Or he could just be setting the new team Boundless up with an easy win, something to grow their egos and knowledge. Who threw a bunch of newbs into the deep end?

Alex heard noises where the line usually was. She leaned over to see what was making the sounds.

Brath was getting food and something to drink. He walked closer and stopped when he saw Alex. Then he came over and put his tray on the table next to her. “Hey,” he grumbled.

Alex, surprised that Brath had sat beside her, replied, “Hey.”

Suddenly Brath groaned loudly and slammed his hands on the table while he blushed bright red.

“All right, all right, you don’t have to drag it out of me by giving me the silent treatment,” he exclaimed. “I hate doing stuff like this, all right? Hate it. So, I’m only doing it because I mean it. I’m sorry.”

“Wait, what?”

“I’m sorry for being such a turd about you not being able to see and throwing you on the spot and junk and making you feel terrible. Okay? Do you feel better now?”

Alex had to hold in the laugh threatening to break out and spoil the sincerity of Brath’s apology. “Yes,” she said quickly. “Much better. And I appreciate the apology.”

“All right, great.”

Brath started eating and didn’t look up again. He sped through his meal. When he finished, he stood and said, “And Gill likes you. He’s not going to tell you, but he does. So, don’t be a dick to him and break his heart or anything, all right?”

Then Brath said something quickly in Gnomish, spun in a circle once, and bowed before sprinting out of the mess hall.

Alex was left confused and annoyed. Why did he have to go and ruin a great moment by telling me about Gill? she thought. Ignorance is supposed to be bliss.

* * *

Later in the evening, Alex was sitting on her bed, scrolling through a book titled A List of Abnormal Uses for Dragon’s Blood. She thought the book was gruesome, but it had captured her attention.

Jollies opened the door and flew inside, then sat down at her desk and started writing.

Alex looked up from her book, trying not to make it obvious she was interested in what Jollies was doing. But the pixie was too small, and Alex couldn’t see over her shoulder. “Hey, you didn’t bring back any food this time?” she asked.

Jollies threw a glance over her shoulder and smiled at her roommate. “I ate in the Hall,” she said. “I was too excited. A letter from my parents came today, and I wanted to write back before we leave. Just in case we don’t have time, you know?”

Alex’s heart twinged. She still hadn’t heard back from her parents. She wasn’t sure if they had received her message, or if they just hadn’t bothered responding. Deep down, Alex knew there had to be a good reason for her parents not to have messaged back. It wasn’t like some unspoken terrible thing had happened between the three of them.

If Alex was honest with herself, she would think her parents were probably just too overworked to have figured out the technological part of messaging her. She remembered when she’d overheard her folks trying to figure out how to use Skype. She had wished she was deaf that day.

Jollies picked up her letter, sealed it in an envelope, and flew out of the room. She came back in a couple of seconds and flew up to Alex’s face. “I told them all about you and how you’re such a great roommate, and really fun, and super brave, and really, really, hot, and how we’re becoming best friends but you’re kind of standoffish like you’re afraid of getting hurt but still really sincere.”

Alex was taken aback by the revelation, but she tried to roll with it. “Wait, you told them I’m hot?” Alex asked.

“Uh, yeah, obviously. It’s an important piece of information.”

“And all that other stuff? You know, like about me being standoffish. You think that is true?”

Jollies perched on Alex’s shoulder and stretched her arms. “It could be, but I’m a pixie and you’re a human, so there’s some stuff lost in translation,” she admitted. “Honestly, most everyone but fairies or pixies seem standoffish to me. At least you aren’t as bad as the gnomes.”

“Yeah, I hear you on that.”

“Talking to Brath is like trying to get a wall to develop a personality, then teaching the wall how to talk. But that’s a teenage gnome boy for you. You almost ready to get fitted?”

Alex got out of bed and flipped her HUD up. “Yeah, almost. I’ve been dreading this all day. Last time I got fitted, I almost attacked Primrose,” Alex said, then fell silent.

Primrose’s death had slipped Alex’s mind. For a second, she had completely forgotten about all the casualties from just a few days before. So many had died. Primrose was the only one Alex had known personally and, even then, she had only known her for a short while.

It still hurt like hell to remember Primrose’s beautiful face, half-smiling, looking so content, lying in that casket. That death was entirely down to the Dark One.

Jollies must have just remembered as well. Her glowing skin had faded to gray, almost black. When she looked up at Alex, there were tears pouring from her eyes. “Funny, it only takes a couple of days of not stressing out to forget,” the pixie said with a hiccup.

Alex tipped up Jollies’ chin and shook her head. “No, it’s not that,” she said. “They’re still in our hearts. We’ve just been…remembering we’re alive. Life isn’t back to normal yet. This weekend has given us a little time to pretend things are okay.”

Jollies squeezed Alex’s finger and nodded. “Yeah, you’re right,” she agreed. “We should probably get going and get fitted, though. Whoever it is probably won’t be nearly as sweet as Primrose was.”

“That’s true. I’m going to have to make sure I don’t attack them.”

Jollies and Alex went down to the dragonriders’ tailoring department. It was not the same place Alex had originally gotten her cadet uniform. Apparently, they were completely different departments.

Alex was glad she had listened to Jollies’ advice about leaving early. It took them both a long time to figure out where the department was. By the time they found the door, it seemed like they had been wandering around the Nest for the last two hours, although after checking her watch, Alex knew that wasn’t the case.

Jollies placed her palm on the datapad that appeared in front of the two girls, and the doors to the department whooshed open. The room was bare of any decoration. There was no one there, either. The only feature was a glowing blue circle on the floor that was giving out an ominous humming sound. “Hello?” Alex called. “Is anyone here?”

A mechanical voice answered Alex. “Hello, Alex. I’m glad you made it to your fitting. Please step into the circle so I can adjust your credentials and armor to official dragonrider status.”

“Er, who are you?”

“Why, I’m the tailor. I’m an AI program created by the Nest to facilitate your uniform requirements. Do you have any more questions before we begin?”

“Uh, yeah. Can Jollies go first?”

“Certainly.”

Jollies’ jaw dropped as Alex stepped behind her and pushed her forward toward the circle. “By the gods, are you serious? I just told my parents how brave and caring and understanding you are!”

Alex laughed as she pretended to force Jollies into the circle. “I still am all those things,” she whispered to Jollies. “But I’m also prudent, and not sure I’m trusting enough to obey a disembodied voice just so I can get a new suit.”

Alex stopped pushing Jollies once the pixie was close to the ring. “I’m just kidding, Jollies,” Alex said reassuringly. “I’m going to go first.”

Jollies was gripping her chest and panting loudly. “You had me fooled!”

Alex stepped into the blue circle. “Ready whenever you are,” she said.

The tailor responded, “Commencing armor and credential upgrade.”

A bright light shot from the ceiling, creating the illusion that Alex had been encased in a blue tube, and the color of her armor started to shift. Within seconds, it was the red of the official dragonriders’ armor. Then the light died.

The tailor said, “You may step out of the circle now. Jollies, please step into the circle.”

Alex jumped out of the circle and patted her roommate on the back. “Doesn’t hurt,” she said encouragingly. “Go for it.”

Jollies slowly flew into the circle, grumbling under her breath as she eyed the ceiling suspiciously. The same blue light shot down, and Jollies’ armor changed to red to match Alex’s. Jollies flew out of the circle after the light vanished.

Alex walked back to the circle, uncertain of where she should address the voice. “Thank you!” she exclaimed. “Can you tell us about the upgrades we got?”

The tailor answered in its monotone voice, “Predominantly, your upgrades are to the way your suit interacts with your central nervous system. Your physical abilities have been augmented, and you are able to access more information and menus in your HUD. Thank you for stopping by.”

Alex and Jollies made their way to the door. “Well, that was kinda weird,” Alex said.

“’Kinda’ isn’t the right word. Come on, we gotta go to the stables next.”

Finally, Alex thought. She was really looking forward to telling Chine about the upgrades and even more excited to see what he was getting.

* * *

When Alex and Jollies arrived at the stables, Tribble was walking between the two dragons who were up on their outfitting pedestals, Chine and Amber. Chine smiled down at Alex when she walked into the stables, and Alex felt a warm glow wash over her.

Tribble walked up to Alex and Jollies and nodded gruffly. “All right, let’s get you ready,” she grumbled. “Hope you got some idea what you’re picking.”

Alex did a double-take that made Tribble grumble louder. “So, you didn’t read the email we sent?” Tribble asked.

Alex shook her head and avoided Tribble’s eyes. “No, I-I mean, we get hundreds of emails a day,” Alex explained. “It’s hard to keep track of which ones are important and which ones should go in the trash.”

“You got me there,” Tribble admitted. “If there’s one thing I want Myrddin to fix around here, it’s the communication. None of us like being flooded with emails about what’s going to be on the lunch menu. Not important.”

Alex walked farther into the stables, approaching the platform Chine was lying on. “So, what are we supposed to do?” she asked.

Tribble came after her and pointed to the console on the platform Alex was standing on. “Your new dragonrider credentials give you access to the different weapons configurations you can use with your dragon. They were pretty basic before since you were just cadets.”

Alex thought back to the armor and weapons Chine had worn the last few times she had ridden him. They did seem pretty basic, just lasers and rockets. Now that she thought about it, that tech paled in comparison with everything around her.

Chine sat up and yawned lazily. Looking forward to seeing how you would like to engage in battle, Dustling. Choosing weapons is more than just how you want to blow something up. Certain weapons provide you with different tactical options.

Alex turned to ask Jollies a question, but the pixie had raced off and was gibbering to Amber, who was fluttering her wings nearly as fast as Jollies was. They seemed to be a good energy match.

Instead, Alex turned her attention to the console in front of her. She activated it and looked through the menus and options. The sheer number of choices she saw was overwhelming. It was like looking at the most complex skill sheet of an RPG.

The menus were broken down by dragon body part. The first section was for the feet, and then it worked itself up to the claws, the shoulders, the chest, and ended with the anchor. The diagram of the dragon on the console placed the anchor on his neck. Alex assumed that must be the collar Chine wore.

Alex clicked on the feet and almost wanted to shut down the console. There were over ten thousand choices. This was either going to take forever, or she was going to mess something up. “Chine, there are way too many choices,” she moaned.

Chine’s laugh boomed through Alex’s head. Yes, there are. If it makes it any easier, you don’t have to look through each one. The console is psychically linked to me, as I am to you. If you think of something, an idea, I can relay it to the console, and it will show you something similar.

Oh, okay. That sounds more manageable, I guess.

Alex closed her eyes and tried to think of something that would be useful on a dragon’s hind legs. She didn’t think it needed to be something offensive since she’d never seen a dragon fight with their hind feet. All she’d ever seen a dragon do was rear up on their hind legs.

That gave Alex an idea—maybe some kind of stabilization, something that would give her the edge and round out her fighting capabilities if she were on the ground instead of the air.

Alex looked down at the console. There were only two options now, and one of them stood out to Alex. It was an augment that distorted the gravitational field around the dragon’s feet that could either increase or decrease. Now, that’s interesting, Alex thought as she selected it.

Next was the hands. I’m partial to clawing and tearing, Chine offered, If that helps.

Alex closed her eyes and imagined Chine tearing through the side of a mountain. Yeah, it sure does.

When Alex checked the console, there were a handful of claw enhancements—energy claws, fire claws, and things like that. None of them looked particularly interesting. Alex scrolled to the end. The last one was a stasis field generator, but it could only be used three times a day.

Alex read more about the generator. The field could be used to freeze an enemy, or the dragon could extend the stasis field outward, creating a concussive blast. You could even combine the uses into a massive attack. Done, Alex said as she moved on.

Now it was time for the chest. I’d prefer something that doesn’t rattle, Chine suggested. I have a sensitive chest cavity.

Alex tapped the console to look through chest augments. She closed her eyes and thought. The idea of Chine’s chest getting hurt was horrifying. When she opened her eyes, there were several choices. She picked an augment that boosted Chine’s defenses and allowed him to deploy an energy shield around his chest. Any ideas for your shoulders?

I believe missiles are redundant since I can breathe fire. Also, they’re loud. Maybe something to help with stealth? I’m not the, hm, most subtle dragon.

I know just the thing.

Alex chose a pair of misters for each shoulder. When activated, they would cover the dragon and the area around him with heavy fog. It would be perfect for throwing off the enemy and taking them out fast. All we’ve got left is the anchor. What exactly is that?

The anchor is our tie to each other. The augment of the anchor will give us an ability we share. It can be used together or separately.

All right.

Alex scrolled through the different augments as she tried to imagine what she wanted to choose. She stopped as soon as she saw the augment titled, The Unwieldy Element. When she looked up the description, she had to stop herself from squealing.

The Unwieldy Element allowed the user to cover their body with a random elemental aura that increased all of their physical and mental properties. It also set their body on fire. Alex chose it mostly for the latter. Can we try it?

Chine laughed as he looked around the stables. It might not be a good idea for me, but you can give it a try.

Alex read through the instructions on how to activate the power through her dragon anchor. She made a fist and slammed it against her hand, and there was a crackle of lightning. Then her body burst into flames, lightning flickering off of her.

Across the room, Jollies, Amber, and Tribble looked up as the flames across Alex’s body started to fade. “Oh, my God, that’s the coolest thing I’ve ever done!” the rider squealed.

Chine stretched his front legs, and his scales rippled. Then you’ve made the right decision. It should prove to be invaluable on this mission.

As Alex and Chine talked to each other, the door of the stables opened. Myrddin and Manny came into the stables, the old wizard looking more grim than usual. “I’m afraid we’re cutting your weekend short. We’re moving up the delivery date.”

Chapter Three

Myrddin curtly explained the reasons for the change in plans to the two dragonriders. He seemed rushed, as if he had little time to spend explaining the situation thoroughly, and he left as soon as he finished giving them the bare bones of the information.

Alex, Jollies, Tribble, and the dragons were left to try to put together the pieces from what Myrddin had said. It didn’t matter, though. They were shipping out at the end of the day, regardless of why. That was part of being in the military.

Manny stayed after Myrddin left, and Alex came up to him. She thought about giving him a hug, but it might be weird. Not emotionally or anything—she just wasn’t sure how squishy his body was. “Good to see you again, Manny,” Alex said with a wink, pointing at her eye. “See what I did there?”

Manny laughed good-naturedly, with none of the stress that Alex had heard in his voice over the last few days. “Yeah, yeah, I see,” he said as his eye tentacles waved about.

“I wanted to thank you for all your help, Manny. I don’t think I could have come this far without you. And I want you to know I really appreciate everything. Uh, are you a hugger?”

Manny shook his head as he turned his mouth down in disgust. “Oh, gods, no,” he exclaimed. “Sorry, it’s nothing to do with you, but Beholders don’t do physical affection. Most of us don’t even do positivity. But I appreciate what you said. And you’re welcome.”

“I’m going to be doing this one on my own. Just me and my new eyes.”

Manny smiled proudly as some of his eyes vibrated in their sockets. It reminded Alex of how she had once read rat eyes vibrate when they’re comfortable. “That’s great news. I wasn’t looking forward to another ride. So, Myrddin’s spell is working well?”

“Took a little getting used to, but these are my eyes now. Time to put them to the test.”

“Well, that’s good to hear. You four should probably just sit tight here. Gill, Brath, and Jim took care of their fittings earlier today. They should be here in a little bit to take off with the rest of you.”

Alex looked around the stables, suddenly realizing something. “Wait, aren’t Roy and Toppinir supposed to lead this? Don’t they have their own teams as well?” she asked.

Manny’s eyes stopped vibrating, and he looked worried. “Actually, those two are going separately from you five,” Manny explained. “You’re going to meet at the mines and move the minerals from there.”

“Oh, okay. I guess that makes sense. Well, I guess I’ll just kill time then. Thanks again, Manny.”

“I’m proud of you, kid. You’ve come a long way from where you were when you got here.”

Manny left the stables. Tribble made eye contact, did something similar to smiling but more confusing, and followed the Beholder.

Alex paced the area near Chine’s platform, waiting for the boys to show up. By the time she looked at her watch, it had already been ten minutes. “I’m going to go for a walk.” She double-checked the coordinates to the mine. “All this waiting is driving me insane.”

Jollies flew to Alex and took a seat on her shoulder. “I’ll go with you. I am unbelievably bored right now.”

Alex waved at Chine as she walked away. See you in a little bit, big guy.

The two dragonriders peeked at the different dragon roosts and admired the dragons sleeping or lazily lounging about. For a while, they watched the skies as dragons came and went, flying at ferocious speeds.

Alex turned a corner and stopped. She could hear something in the distance, voices that sounded familiar. Maybe it was Myrddin, and she could corner him to get a better explanation for their sudden departure. Alex was still a little sore about her weekend being over.

There was an office, and the door was open slightly. Alex snuck over to it and pushed it open a little more so she could see who was inside.

Roy and Toppinir were inside, sitting at a desk and talking to each other. A three-dimensional map was projected between the two of them, and Roy was pointing to something Alex couldn’t quite make out.

Then the map changed.

Now the map depicted a giant orb. The orb was not stationary, though. It was flying toward the planet like an asteroid, and if it was an asteroid, it was one of those world-ending ones. The orb looked huge in comparison with its destination.

The map changed again, showing a region that looked familiar to Alex for some reason. She tried to figure out where she had seen it before, then it clicked. There was only one place she could have seen it—Middang3ard VR. Those were her only visual memories.

Alex tried to remember where in the game the region was, but she was too focused on trying to hear what Roy and Toppinir were saying to concentrate on the memory.

Roy leaned forward and pointed to a region on the map. “At this moment, who knows what the impact is going to be?” he grumbled. “On top of that, we don’t even know what’s in the SOB. All of our intel sounds insane.”

Toppinir sat down in his seat and drew on his pipe. “What do you mean by ‘insane?’” he asked.

“We got word from the Mundanes earlier today. They said the sphere is some kind of ship, and it’s filled with genetic experiments. First thing that came to my mind was a biological weapon. I wouldn’t have thought the Dark One would stoop so low.”

Toppinir tapped the ashes out of his pipe and repacked it. “True. Even humans have the decency to steer clear of biological warfare. It’s an extremely barbaric tactic. It seems odd, though. The Dark One would seem to have too much pride to try something like that.”

Alex tried to push the door open a little farther. The movement made it creak.

How does a crystal door do that? Alex asked herself as both Roy and Toppinir leaped to their feet.

Alex attempted to look as if she hadn’t been spying, but there was no way to hide it. Roy stomped over to the door and slammed it in Alex’s face. “Guess we weren’t supposed to hear that,” Alex murmured as she stood up and headed back toward Chine and Amber.

Jim, Gill, and Brath were waiting for them near their dragons. Their dragons’ platforms had been grouped together. Brath looked up impatiently as Alex and Jollies approached. “Took you guys long enough,” he complained.

Alex brushed off Brath’s words. She was learning how to deal with his constantly sour disposition. It was starting to seem rather endearing if she was honest. “Shut up,” she replied. “We’ve been here for like an hour, waiting for you guys.”

Gill was already atop his dragon Timber, sitting with his legs crossed as if he were meditating. “Brath had to talk to his sister. We were waiting for him.”

Brath shot Gill a dirty look. “I didn’t have to talk to her! We were just talking.”

“He was uncomfortable about our mission today.”

“Are you serious, Gill? I wasn’t afraid! I just like to touch base with her and see how she’s doing.”

Gill looked at Alex, smiling mischievously. Alex’s heart melted the moment she saw his sharp white teeth. “So, are we ready to go?”

There were no instructors or veteran dragonriders in the room. “Shouldn’t we wait? You know, for someone to send us off?”

Gill stood up, his dragon anchor glowing. “We don’t have to,” he explained. “All of us are dragonriders now. We aren’t cadets. We’re technically veterans, even if we haven’t fulfilled a mission yet. We’ve been given our coordinates and an ETA. That’s how it works.”

Alex leaped onto Chine. She didn’t need to be told twice. The itch to get into the sky was strong. She was interested in the mission as well. Guarding a mineral delivery seemed easy enough, and they might have some fun along the way.

The rest of the dragonriders mounted and held up their anchors. Alex pulled up her HUD and opened her map. The coordinates had been marked with a large green spot.

Jollies was already on top of Amber as well, the two of them fluttering around. “What’s the plan?”

Alex pointed toward the sky. “It’s pretty straightforward. We go to the coordinates and take care of the mission,” she answered. “Let’s get going.” Alex linked her anchor to Chine and pulled back on it, and the dragon soared into the air.

The other dragonriders flew after Alex, trying to match her pace. Alex’s dragon wasn’t the fastest, but her bond with Chine was the strongest. He didn’t fight Alex’s control like most dragons instinctively did. She and her partner moved as one.

Finally, the rest of the riders caught up with them. Alex looked over her shoulder and shouted at Jim, who was turning his mech on. The metal dragon stood up like a real one, its armor gleaming. She had to admit he looked very badass on it.

Then Jim pushed the wrong button or pulled the wrong lever because the mech stumbled.

“Didn’t you read your owner’s manual?” Brath asked.

Jim pointed to the HUD external on his temple. He pressed down on it, trying to regain control.

Alex pressed her temple too. “Some of us were too busy kicking orc ass to be bothered with boring reading material,” she said on the comm, defending Jim.

Jollies came up beside Alex and Chine. Amber, her dragon, was roughly the size of a puma. Even though she was small, the thing looked dangerous. “How long do you think it’s going to take us to get there?”

Brath groaned loudly. Alex was glad the comm picked up everything until they were turned off. “Is this going to be like taking a kid on a trip? Always asking from the back of the car, ‘Are we there yet?’”

Alex laughed as Jollies blushed brightly, her whole body turning red. “Haven’t heard that variation before.” Alex giggled as she pulled up her visor to glance at the map. “Looks like we’ll be in the air for a couple of hours. Three, max. Most airtime we’ve gotten so far, right?”

Chine breathed out a plume of smoke. Good. It’ll help ease us into riding together. No doubt it will take the team some time to learn your formations and the best ways to ride with each other and so forth.

Alex was tempted to speed up but thought better of it. The only way I ride is fast, she said.

Chine turned back to look at Alex. “Confidently” might be a better way to put it. Fast sounds reckless. And childish.

Alex was starting to get Chine’s dry sense of humor. All right, no worries, big guy, she assured him. Confidently. We’re going to ride confidently.

Jim had scooted up farther in the formation, and he was now at Alex’s left side. He looked at her, and they both smiled. Brath called from the back of the formation, “Hey, so, are you guys making marriage plans yet?”

Jim didn’t bother turning back but laughed and told Brath, “You wear big words well for such a cute little guy. Do you want to be our flower girl?”

Brath seized his beard and tugged it hard. “Wait until we’re on the ground, and I’ll show you some of my big words!” the gnome shouted.

As Team Boundless flew toward the mines, Alex relishing hearing the voices of her group, and for the first time, her friends. It was almost like being back in VR, but so much better. Better than she ever could have imagined.

This was going to be a good mission.

Chapter Four

Team Boundless arrived at the mines before dark, the sun hanging low in the sky, and the air still warm. They were still too high to see much of the mines or the village surrounding them. There is a lot of hot air coming up from the mines, Chine noted. Too much.

Alex looked down to where she assumed the mines were. She closed her eyes, focused her breathing, and then opened them, trying to zoom in like she knew dragons could do.

It worked, and Alex’s vision became even clearer. Her eyesight had increased dramatically, and she could see the mines beneath her. Flames were shooting out of a tunnel built into a hill. Actually, there were multiple openings, and flames were shooting out of all of them. There were no other dragonriders or mech riders in sight.

Alex waved the rest of Team Boundless down as she flew toward the mines. “They’re on fire!” she shouted.

Chine hit the ground hard and Alex jumped off to see if there was anyone around who could explain what was happening.

The miners had scattered. Some of them were still running as explosion after explosion rocked the mines. Others were sitting in the field, nursing burns while mages cast healing spells on them.

A crotchety dwarf with an obstinate expression was running between the different groups of miners, barking orders. He grabbed one of the dwarf miners, shook him a few times, and then motioned for the miner to join the others, who were carrying buckets of water toward the flames.

Alex ran up to the dwarf and cleared her throat before awkwardly saluting him. “Uh, hi. We’re the dragonriders who were sent to pick up minerals. What’s going on here?”

The dwarf glared at Alex as he threw up his hands. “What the hell does it look like? My mines are on fire!” The dwarf waved Alex’s hand away. “Name’s Rocten. These here are my mines, and these here mines of mine are on fire. Great flippin’ day, am I right? Them’s your minerals, right? Well, they might be burning up in there too, along with my miners.”

“Forget the minerals. There are people still in there? What can I do to help?”

Rocten surveyed the dragons and their riders. “Huh. They’re too big to get in there, but they could deal with the fire from the outside. Fire’s coming from the inside, though.”

Gill stepped forward away from the rest of the riders. “I can help with that,” he said. “Fire isn’t a problem for me.”

Rocten eyed Gill suspiciously. “Huh. Ain’t seen one of your kind out of the Veil before,” the dwarf growled. “Don’t matter. If you’re offering help, I’ll take it.”

Alex exclaimed, “I’m going too. My suit has an elemental buffer. We’ll take care of it.”

Rocten pointed to the northernmost entrance. “All right. That’s where the fire started,” he explained. “Whatever happened came from there.”

Alex hoped her dragon anchor power was enough to withstand the fires, but she was going to find out. Chine, can you use your mister to help smother the fire at one of the entrances?

Chine nodded as he lumbered toward the southern entrances to the mines. “And the rest of you, get creative! We need to keep this fire from spreading,” Alex said before grabbing Gill and pulling him toward the entrance Rocten had indicated.

Jollies took off with Brath toward the miners carrying water. The pixie used an elemental amplifier as Furi dug into the ground around the river the water was being drawn from. She and Furi redirected the river toward the mine.

Alex and Gill ran into the tunnel. Alex slammed her fist into her palm, and flames burst over her body. She was right; it was enough to handle the heat. Gill, on the other hand, didn’t look fazed by the flames.

The two fought past the entry, trying to find the source of the fire. Most of the mine’s entryway had burned, and flames were shooting sporadically from somewhere deeper in the mine. “Something’s generating the flames!” Gill shouted.

Alex leaned over a ladder leading farther into the mines. “What could be doing that? That’s not how fires work.”

“Could be a weapon. Or a monster. The Dark One’s forces might have sabotaged it!”

Alex climbed down the ladder, Gill following her.

Outside, the dragonriders were still helping the miners combat the flames. Jim and his mech dragon Croy were drenching the mines with water from the river.

Inside the mine, Alex and Gill continued to go deeper into its depths. Suddenly, Alex motioned for the drow to stop. She pointed ahead, unsure if Gill’s darkvision was good enough to discern what she saw. “Oh, I see it now,” Gill murmured.

Backed into the corner was a creature no bigger than a cat but shaped like a bear cub. It was covered in bright red fur and had large black eyes. Its face was buried in its paws as it cried. With each hiccup and sob, a blast of fire shot from its body.

Alex knelt, as did Gill. “That would be enough to start a fire,” she said. “The poor thing is probably just scared, with all the mining going on.”

Alex began to crawl toward the creature when Gill placed his hand on her shoulder. “No, let me,” he said, moving forward.

As Gill got closer, the creature looked up. It squealed as it tried to burrow into the wall behind it. Gill didn’t freak out, though. He merely reached out so slowly Alex couldn’t even tell he was moving. Whatever he was doing worked; the creature stopped trying to dig its way out, and it got its tears under control.

Gill scooped the little red ball of fur up. “Let’s get going and see if the others put out their side of the fire.”

Alex and Gill climbed the ladder while the red creature held onto Gill’s shoulders, tugging lightly on the drow’s hair. The dark elf was suddenly even more interesting to Alex.

It didn’t take long for Alex and Gill to find Rocten. The rest of the dragonriders had extinguished the mines’ fires and were sitting around looking very pleased with themselves.

Rocten took the creature from Gill and cradled it in his arms, which looked even stranger than Gill holding the creature. “Blast it,” Rocten complained. “No one told us there were firebrights in there. I’m sorry, kids, but we’re going to have to clear out the rest of them unless we want the same thing to happen again.”

The rest of the dragonriders joined Alex and Gill. “No problem. You guys take your time. Just let us know when you’re finished.”

“All right,” Rocten said as he walked toward the mines. “I’ll let the rest of the team know. Thanks again for the help. You guys saved a lot of lives today.”

Alex watched the dwarf walk away and couldn’t help feeling a little bit proud. She knew her parents would be happy this was the first thing she’d done as a dragonrider.

Chapter Five

The riders and their dragons sat on the hills near the mines, watching the workers clear out the creatures responsible for the fires. Alex thought it was kinda funny watching the rough, dirt-covered dwarves cooing to the fire creatures they carried like infants.

Chine explained to Alex that firebrights were easily frightened. Sending out flames was a defense mechanism since they were considered to be delicious prey by many creatures that lived in and around mines, thus the tenderness of the dwarves.

Jollies was flying back and forth, her equivalent of pacing, and talking rapidly to Amber. It was odd to watch the riders talking to their dragons. Most of the riders spoke out loud, but Alex could only hear Chine, not the other dragons. She and Gill were the only riders who communicated strictly telepathically with their dragons.

Alex could therefore only listen to one side of the conversation. Jollies was usually thinking out loud, like now, when she was complaining about being bored. Brath, on the other hand, often voiced his frustrations with those around him.

Alex stood and stretched and called Jollies over. When the pixie finally came, Alex motioned for her to take a seat in her palm. “You know, there’s nothing wrong with taking a break.”

Jollies sighed, her body shifting to light blue. “I know,” she admitted. “I don’t usually care about getting up and going, but I’ve been cooped up in the Nest for so long.”

“How long were you guys training before I got here?”

Jollies screwed her face up as she tried to remember. “I think I’ve been training for two years as a cadet,” she answered.

“Are you serious? Two years?”

Jollies smiled and nodded as she stood up and pranced around Alex’s palm. “Yep! That’s probably why Brath was so mad at you when you showed up. We’ve all been at the Nest for a while, much longer than you two humans. Jim wasn’t even there for a day.”

Alex tried to come up with something to say that didn’t sound like she thought it was ridiculous how quickly she had moved up the ranks. She did think it was strange. “You know, it probably has to do with the VR program we were in,” Alex suggested. “It was supposed to be like a recruitment thing, but probably it also doubled as training.”

“That would make sense. Most of us didn’t even think there were dragons when we applied for the program.”

“Wait, you just applied too? That’s how Jim got in.”

Jollies leaped off Alex’s hand and danced in the air for a second before letting herself fall. “Yeah, that’s how all the other races get in. None of us had a VR game of Middang3ard, only the humans. I heard it’s because none of us needed to be convinced there were other realms.”

“Why’s that?”

“We already knew about them. Humans are the only ones who lost touch with magic. We might be fantasy creatures to you, but to us, you’re just humans—one of many races.”

Gill walked over to Alex and took a seat beside her. “The anchor power you chose worked really well. You made a wise decision.”

Alex wished she could hide under a rock, but she managed a smile instead. “Thanks,” she muttered. “Are you immune to other elements, or is it just fire?”

“Generally, any elements found underground. That’s where we drow are from originally. Intense heat, dark magic, necromancy, and things of that sort don’t affect us.”

“That’s really cool. Also, you did a great job of calming down the firebright. I don’t think I could have done that. Back on Earth, I was terrible with kids. They hated me.”

Gill brushed the hair out of his eyes as he smiled sweetly. Alex’s heart melted once again. It was a wonder it wasn’t a permanent puddle by now. “I’m the oldest of six. Most of my life was spent minding children,” Gill explained. “My mother said I exuded a calming air, more so than other drow. We have a bad reputation.”

Alex looked at Rocten. “Yeah, I noticed the way he was talking to you,” she admitted.

Gill laughed as he leaned back against the hill. “That’s nothing. Wait until you see how other elves treat me.”

“That sounds rough. But I can understand people treating you differently for reasons you can’t control, like Brath.”

Gill looked at the gnome and laughed. “Oh, him? He’s a jerk to everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re blind, strong, or handsome. Any defining feature is fodder for him. He’s warming up to you, though, as he always does.”

Alex thought back to the last time she and Brath had spoken and what he had told her about Gill. She wished the gnome had kept his big mouth shut. “Uh, I gotta go,” Alex muttered as she walked toward the meadow behind the hills.

Jim noticed Alex was leaving, and he stood and called after her, “Hey, you mind if I tag along?”

Alex stopped dead in her tracks and let out a heavy sigh, one that felt as if she were exhaling every irritating thing in her life at the time. She hadn’t joined the dragonriders to get wrapped up in some Victorian love triangle. “Sure, Jaws,” she said without turning around.

Jim jogged to catch up with Alex. She didn’t bother slowing her pace, though. If she could have, she would have started running and not turned back. She did turn around, however, and when she saw Jim’s smiling face, she forgot about everything.

The two humans walked down through the meadow. It was spring, and the harrigolds were in full bloom, their twisting yellow petals casting themselves to the winds to be carried away. Jim walked up beside Alex. “So,” Jim started. “I heard through the grapevine—”

Alex interrupted Jim, nearly shouting, “That I was blind!”

Jim practically jumped back from Alex’s tone of voice. “Whoa, no, not like that. I mean, I wasn’t trying to say it like that. It’s just, I had no idea. You never mentioned it in—”

“Because I prefer not to be known as the blind girl. It gets pretty old.”

Jim nodded as he thought about what Alex had said. “I would never think of you as ‘the blind girl.’”

“Yet here you are, asking me about being the blind girl.”

“No, here I am asking one of my close friends about what’s going on in her life.”

Alex stopped walking and glared at Jim. She had no idea why she was so angry at him right now, but she felt like she could have hit him. The anger faded and was replaced by embarrassment. “I’m sorry. It’s just, the whole being blind thing has been a problem since I got here. It’s been obnoxious.”

Jim continued walking, and Alex kept pace with him. They walked over to an old tree stump that stuck up amongst the yellow harrigolds. “Yeah, I can imagine. I wouldn’t want to be talking about that all the time. How have you been holding up?”

Alex leaned forward, picked one of the harrigolds, and shrugged. “No one in VR knew I was blind, and I tried to keep it that way. I don’t like people treating me differently, or like I can’t do things.”

“Seems like no one here would treat you like that. What’s it like for you now, suddenly being able to see?”

Alex thought about the best way to answer the question. It was hard enough to explain what being blind was like. Take that experience and add on seeing through the eyes of a Beholder for the first time, and after that, being granted the eyes of a dragon.

It was a bit much to explain. “I guess it’s been,” Alex started, “complicated. It’s completely changed my life, not that I thought my life was lacking before. It’s just an entirely new existence. The whole world is different than I’ve ever known.”

Alex held up the harrigold she’d picked so the sunlight glowed through the flower’s thin petals. “The only time I had ever seen before was in a place that wasn’t real, or at least, not like the real place. I’ve never seen my parents with my own eyes. I’ve never seen anyone from my old life with my own eyes. It’s…it’s different.”

Jim nodded as he listened. “What about me? You’ve seen me as an avatar and now real life. What’s that like?”

Alex tucked the flower behind her ear and laughed. “You? Yeah, I saw you in VR, but seeing you in real life for the first time was, ah, interesting.”

“Oh, yeah? What was interesting about it?”

You’re freaking hot, Alex thought. Probably not the best thing to say right now. “You looked pretty much like your avatar,” Alex finally said. “I heard that wasn’t something most people did. I’m not sure how much my avatar looks like me. You know, I couldn’t really use a mirror.”

Jim moved, so he was right in front of Alex, looking her in the eye. Alex wanted to turn away, but something kept her eyes glued to Jim’s. “Hm,” he said. “You don’t look different. Guess you don’t need to see yourself to know what you look like.”

Jim didn’t move and kept staring into Alex’s eyes. Alex couldn’t tell how long they looked at each other, but she didn’t want to look away. She felt like she could spend the rest of the day with him like that.

Thankfully, Chine broke Alex’s concentration. He’s thinking about asking you on a date.

Alex maintained her look of stoicism, but her heart was racing. A date? She’d never been on a date. She’d never even thought about going on a date. Why would she want to do such a thing?

Chine interrupted Alex’s train wreck of thoughts. He’s very nervous.

Before Alex realized it, she had already opened her mouth and was saying, “Of course, I’ll go on a date with you.”

Jim’s eyes widened as he stood up, awkwardly trying to shove his hands in his pockets, only to realize he didn’t have any pockets. “What? I wasn’t asking, I…wait, how did you know I was going to ask you?”

“Call it a hunch. After this mission. Lunch or coffee? I don’t know what people do on dates.”

“I think since I asked you, I’m supposed to come up with ideas.”

“Technically, I think I just asked you, but sure, take the pressure off me.”

Just then, a siren went off near the mines. Alex jumped to her feet, looking in that direction. “Guess that means it’s time for us to go.”

Chapter Six

By the time Alex and Jim got back, the rest of the dragonriders were ready to go. Four of the mech riders had arrived and loaded up the minerals. It was explained to Alex that the mech riders rode in prototype mechs based on dragon physiology. The mech tech hadn’t worked out as originally planned, and these were really only good for transportation.

Roy was the only rider who had managed to “meld” with his mech, whatever that meant. Alex got the gist of what was being said, though. Since they didn’t have proper reaction times, the mech riders were sitting ducks in the air, and Jim was one of them.

As well as the mech riders, six more dragonriders had arrived. They were veterans and didn’t seem to have any time to waste talking to the newbies. Alex tried not to take it personally. The veterans probably thought Team Boundless would need babysitting.

One of the veteran riders, a wood elf named Alborn, stood atop his dragon, a beautiful purple lightning dragon with white horns curled like a ram’s. “All right, Team Boundless, I’m glad you’ve finally decided to join us.”

Alex ignored the irritation in Alborn’s voice as she mounted Chine. “Seems like we were the ones who were waiting around for you to show up,” she called back. “You missed the fire and everything. Or did you not bother to ask Rocten?”

Alborn’s eyes narrowed as he frowned at Alex. “I see respect for seniority doesn’t mean much to humans.”

“No, not really. And last time I checked, dragonriders are equal across all boards, right? It’s not like you outrank us, so you should probably stop talking to us like you do. Boundless? You guys ready to go?”

Team Boundless stared at Alex, dumbfounded. None of them had been expecting her to talk back to the veteran riders. Earlier, Brath and Jollies had been fawning over them.

Alex wasn’t impressed by the veterans. It wasn’t that she thought she was better than them; quite the opposite. As far as Alex was concerned, the only respect you should give to people was what they gave to you. Life was that simple.

There was a reason Alex was a dragonrider, and now wasn’t the time to pretend she had gotten in by mistake. Manny, Myrddin, and her parents believed in her, and more importantly, she believed in herself. If Alborn wanted to talk trash, he could suck it.

Team Boundless was going to get the mission done. She didn’t need to be on good terms with every dragonrider for that to happen.

Alex double-checked her coordinates, linked up with Chine, and took off for the skies. She hit her comm and patched into the mech riders. “You might want to head up with us,” she suggested. “We need to make sure we have you guys surrounded in case something happens.”

The rest of Team Boundless took to the air, along with the mech riders. Alex moved to the front of the formation and said, “Guys, I think taking a five-point position will work best. One of us in the front, one on each side, and two in the back. That sound good?”

Brath moved toward the back, explaining, “Furi’s a little rowdy. Might be better to be in a spot where he can stretch his wings if something happens.”

Jim moved to the back too and said, “I think we can be of use back here.”

Gill and Jollies went to the sides of the formation without saying a word. Alex took the front, and they headed toward the coordinates as the other dragonriders took off and tried to catch up with them.

Alex noticed the other riders were trying to reach them, and she slowed her pace so they could ride beside Boundless or join the formation. Alex turned to Alborn. “I think we got off to a bad start. Name’s Alex. Glad to be working with you.”

Alborn looked extremely taken aback by Alex’s straightforwardness. Finally, he grinned and nodded. “Wasn’t expecting such a strong-willed teenager,” Alborn admitted. “Glad to see you know how to handle yourself, though.”

“Ass or not, we have each other’s backs. We have your back. The mission and the team will always come first and foremost.”

Alborn rubbed the back of his neck as he chuckled. “Your level of professionalism is starting to make me look bad.” He sighed. “But you’re right. When we reviewed the coordinates earlier, it looked like we could shorten the travel time by cutting through the valleys to the east.”

Alex brought up her map and looked at the valleys. “Hm…yeah, it looks like they cut straight through to where we’re trying to go. Sounds good to me. You want to take point?”

Alborn nodded and motioned for his team to take the foremost position in the formation, so Team Boundless was following them.

Chine’s voice came through Alex’s head. That was mature of you.

Alex shrugged as she stared at the clouds. Eh, I don’t think it was that mature.

I highly doubt Brath would have done that.

Okay, if Brath is the standard, anything I do for the rest of my life will be mature.

Alex turned her attention to the skies as Team Boundless, the mech riders, and the rest of the dragonriders headed toward the valleys.

Chapter Seven

The dragonriders descended into a canyon. Its stone walls were white as alabaster, and the air was cooler than higher up in the sky. The valley was deeper than it looked on the map.

They flew farther into it. Alex imagined this was what the Grand Canyon would have looked like if she had ever seen it. The canyon was deeper than anything Alex had ever seen in Middang3ard.

It wasn’t hard to be impressed. Alex had read about how such things were formed, thousands and thousands of years of water slowly eroding the stone and earth until something massive and awe-inspiring remained.

A rush of cold wind blew past her face, chilling her nose and making it run, so she had to wipe it. She couldn’t wipe the smile off of her face, though.

Alex looked around at the faces of the other riders to see if she was the only one who was obviously having a good time. The members of Team Boundless were either smiling or grinning widely, even Brath. Alex was glad she was surrounded by people who loved to ride as much as she did.

Up ahead in the formation, Alborn pointed to the crags in the canyon’s wall before hitting his comm and saying, “This is one of the oldest canyons in the realm. They say it’s the realm’s equivalent of your Grand Canyon.”

She knew it! But then she thought about it and realized she wasn’t sure what it was she knew. “What do you mean, ‘the realm’s equivalent?’” Alex asked.

“That’s the way the realms work. You can think of them as sandwiched on top of each other. Granted, each realm has its own quirks, but some of the geographical placement is similar. Most of the realms have a variation of your Grand Canyon in or around the same place. This one is nowhere near as large as the one on the human realm, though.”

Alex smiled as she looked around and tried to take the canyon in. She knew her parents would get a kick out of hearing that she had seen the Grand Canyon or something like it, despite not being on Earth. Alex felt a twinge of guilt, wishing she could share this with her parents.

At the same time, Alex was very glad this was hers alone—these people, this adventure, all of it. This was an experience she was never going to forget.

Jim’s voice came through on Alex’s comm. “Hey, you ever go to our Grand Canyon?”

Alex hit her comm to turn it on. “No, I never wanted to. My parents tried to take me once, but if the trip was to take in its wonders, I didn’t see the point,” Alex said, remembering how much her decision had upset her parents.

“Well, are you glad you’re finally getting to see it now?”

Alex turned back and pointed toward the sky. “I heard the one we got back home is even bigger than this. Now I do want to see it.”

Static crackled across Alex’s comm and cut off her conversation with Jim. The static got louder and she turned it off, hoping that resetting it would get rid of the noise. When she turned it back on, she heard Albnor’s voice. “We might have a problem,” he said. “Look down.”

Alex leaned over so she could see past Chine’s shoulder. It was hard to make out, but it looked like there were riders down at the bottom of the canyon. She squinted so she could see more clearly; there were definitely riders below. “So, what, there are people down there?” she asked.

“The canyon is strictly a no travel zone for civilians. There shouldn’t be anyone down there, let alone that many. I’m counting at least thirty bodies. That’s not good.”

Brath’s voice came through over the comm. “Who cares? They’re down there, and we’re up here. All we have to do is keep that up. We’re way too high up to be fired at.”

Chine interrupted Brath in Alex’s head. Alborn is right; this isn’t good. And it is about to get much worse.

At the bottom of the canyon, the riders, clothed in black and atop black steeds, rode on, the wind of their passage echoing up the canyon’s walls. The feet of the steeds were not hooves. They were the talons of birds of prey.

At a sign from the rider at the head of the posse, the rest of the riders pulled off their clothes, revealing their identities. The riders were trolls.

Once the riders had tossed away their cloaks, the magic shielding their steeds disappeared, and they were revealed to be bizarre birdlike creatures. The foul creatures looked humanoid, although their bodies were elongated and contorted.

They were sinewy and covered in sparse gray feathers. Their necks stretched uncomfortably long, ending in vulture heads, the skin thin and rotten-looking. They each had four mangy wings. A golden cap was fitted on their beaks, open to show rows of sharp teeth.

Alborn pulled up on his dragon, preparing to send it back into the sky. “We got vrosks and trolls,” he shouted.

Alex had never seen a vrosk, but she had seen trolls in Middang3ard VR. If these things were like those she was used to, they could be up to ten feet tall. She didn’t want to think about how big the vrosks must be.

The rest of the dragonriders took their cues from Alborn and headed back up toward the sky, but it was too late. There were at least fifteen vrosks and trolls above them. It was an ambush, and they were hemmed in.

Alborn cursed under his breath and furrowed his brow, running through his options. Alex saw him thinking, very aware that if he didn’t figure something out soon, the Dark One’s forces were going to close on them like a pair of scissors. It wouldn’t be hard for them to steal the minerals after that.

The vrosks above started to descend slowly, taking their time, likely relishing the fear they knew they were instilling in the dragonriders.

Alex hit her comm and called to Alborn, “Hey! I think I know what we should do!”

Alborn wiped away the sweat forming on his brow. “I didn’t ask you what we should do! Hold on, I’m thinking!”

Alex knew there wasn’t any time. The longer Alborn thought about what needed to be done, the worse position the dragonriders would be in. Chine, you ready for this? Alex asked as she looked at her dragon anchor.

The scales across Chine’s back rose and fell. Yes, Dustling. I am.

Alex hit her comm, bringing up all channels. “Team Boundless. We are engaging the enemy beneath us,” she commanded. “Mech riders, I want you down there too. Brath and Jaws, you split from the back and take the sides. Gill, I want you on top, shielding them.”

Alex pointed to Jollies and Amber. “Jollies, you’re with me. We’re going to thin out the party beneath us. Dash in and out. Get at least half of them, and then we regroup up here. Then all of us will push up and scatter the forces above us. Then we bring the fight to the canyon.”

Jim shouted, “Are you kidding me? You want to engage? They outmatch us—”

“Wasn’t a suggestion, Jaws. Go!”

Alex didn’t wait to see if anyone followed her. She tore straight for the vrosks and trolls beneath her, scanning through her inventory to see if she had any weapons stored. Should have checked that before I left. She laughed to herself.

Chapter Eight

Alex descended so fast it felt like the wind was slicing her face. She held out her dragon anchor, and a scythe appeared in her hand. The scythe was nearly the size of her body, and she was surprised she could lift it with ease. Never used one of these before. Should be fun.

Jollies flew at Alex’s side, barely visible in her peripheral vision. If the pixie was here, that meant the rest of Boundless probably had come as well. Alex hadn’t even thought about asking what anyone else thought they should do; she’d just acted. Hopefully, it had been the right decision.

The vrosks beneath Alex and Jollies still hadn’t given any indication they had noticed Jollies and Alex heading toward them. I was right, she thought. They were expecting us to go straight up and take on the vrosks overhead.

Alex turned her thoughts toward Chine. Hey, how do we use your augments? Do I need to tell you anything or activate the—

Chine stretched his wings out, slowing a little as they prepared to attack. Same as flying—we’re connected as if we were one body.

Alex smiled as her dragon anchor glowed. Perfect.

Chine hit the ground amidst the vrosks and trolls at full speed, tearing it up with his claws. He breathed a plume of ether fire into the air and his gravitational augments activated, increasing the gravitational pull on everything on the ground.

Now that gravity had been increased, the vrosks had ground to a stop, as had the trolls, all of them weighed down by a force of nearly a twenty gees.

Alex leaped off Chine, slamming her dragon anchor to her chest as she spun her scythe around her back before bringing it back to her dominant hand and slicing off the heads of three trolls in one sweeping move.

Behind her, Amber and Jollies flew forward, the pixie activating one of Amber’s augments that caused the lightning sparking off the dragon’s body to echo a shadow of her movements as she increased in speed, leaving behind afterimages of herself that vibrated with electricity.

Jollies flew between as many of the trolls as she could, ramming Amber into them, leaving an image of the dragon and shocking their bodies with electricity.

Alex spun around and sliced at a troll who was holding a rifle, cutting it down before it could fire.

Up at the top of the canyon, the vrosks were beginning their descent upon the remaining dragonriders and the mech riders. The vrosks swooped down as the trolls hurled energy-charged spears.

Gill raised his dragon anchor, and Timber deployed a forcefield that spread over the riders. The energy spears collided with the forcefield, exploding and sending sparks flying everywhere.

The vrosks pulled up, trying to avoid the sparks, but many of them were caught in them. Then Brath detached from his position and flew toward the vrosks as Furi shot fireballs. The veteran riders just looked around as if they were caught in their first battle.

On the ground, Jollies was getting ready to rejoin the rest of the riders. Alex had leaped back onto Chine, and they were headed up as well.

One of the vrosks reared its head, and its beak glowed an icy blue before it fired a volley of icicles at Jollies. They hit Amber and the pixie head-on, nearly knocking her from her dragon. They veered to the right and crashed into the canyon wall.

Alex turned Chine’s head to face the vrosks again, and he shot ether fire at the vrosks. They scattered, giving the pair enough time to get back on track, and the two riders flew as hard as they could to meet the others.

Once Alex and Jollies were back with the other riders, she was able to assess the situation. The vrosks and trolls at the bottom of the canyon were still reeling from the attack. Now would be the best time to put an end to them, but doing that would require leaving the minerals with minimal defense again.

Alex glared at Alborn, waiting for him to get his head in the game. The elf still appeared confused by what was happening. “Are you going to do something?” Alex shouted at him.

The vrosks above swooped down on the dragonriders, showering them with ice as the trolls continued to pepper Gill’s forcefield with spears. “It’s gonna give any moment now!” the drow shouted.

Alex, fed up with waiting for Alborn, pointed to the canyon. “We all move down!” she shouted. “They still haven’t recovered, and we aren’t going up anytime soon. Mechs, you’re coming with us! So are the rest of you!”

Alex’s comm opened again to a hearty agreement from the mech riders. She and her dragon made the first move, plummeting toward the canyon floor. Alex knew her trick wasn’t going to work twice. She still had the element of recklessness on her side, though.

Just before Chine collided with the ground, he pulled up, soaring over the vrosks. Alex figured if they couldn’t take on all the vrosks and trolls, they could at least avoid their attacks. She hoped speed would win out, and they could make it to the drop-off point and get reinforcements.

As Alex and the rest of the riders passed the vrosks and trolls, the canyon walls began to shake.

The wall to Alex’s right exploded in a hailstorm of rocks and gravel as a fiery hand pushed its way out, followed by a flaming skull with curled horns. Sulfur and soot filled the air as a balrog stepped from the stones, a flaming whip in each hand.

Alex collided with the canyon wall as Chine tried to straighten out. “You have got to be kidding me!” she shouted as the dragon reared, then turned around. “All right, Boundless, this is where we make our stand. Jollies and Gill, you take care of the vrosks above. The rest of you with me! Mech riders, you keep going. Make it to the rendezvous.”

Jim and Brath flew up next to Alex, along with the remaining dragonriders of Alborn’s party.

The vrosks from above had met up with the vrosks at the bottom of the canyon. The balrog stood before them all, cracking his whip as he roared in fury.

Alex’s heart was in her throat. At her side, Jim turned and smiled weakly at her. “Guess this is where we die. Nice knowing you.”

Alex shook her head and shouted, “We’ve been through worse than this, Jaws!”

“Yeah, in VR!”

“Just means we got permadeath now!”

With that, Alex and Chine charged forward. Alex slammed her dragon anchor to her chest, and her and Chine’s bodies were covered in an icy armor as the dragon raised his glowing right claw. A concussive force shot out like a cannon, knocking the balrog back.

It roared in rage as it cracked its whip, pushing the vrosks and trolls forward. The vrosks sped past Alex. It was obvious her and Chine’s fight was with the balrog.

Gill was right behind Alex. Jaws and Croy were in the air, firing heat-seeking missiles. Alex breathed a sigh of relief at seeing how fast Jim was. Mech dragons were badass.

When the missiles collided with their targets, they distorted gravity around them, creating a gravitational field that suspended the nearby vrosks and trolls.

Timber and Gill leaped into the air. Timber stretched out his claws, so when he landed, they dug into the earth. A seismic blast went through the ground, knocking the vrosks off their feet.

Brath took a less measured approach to attack. He let Furi do whatever the hell he wanted, and that was to set every living troll on fire. Furi flew over the battle, firing fireball after fireball, nearly turning the canyon into a firetrap.

Jollies flew past Brath and shouted, “Hey, be careful. You’re going to burn us all alive too!” Then she zoomed back into the fight, flying between troll after troll, firing her dual-energy pistols and adding to the confusion of the fight.

A troll zeroed in on Brath and took his vrosk into the air. Furi and Brath didn’t notice as the vrosk flew behind them. The troll leaped from his vrosk and landed on Furi’s back, then pulled out his spear and ran toward Brath.

Brath turned at the last minute, barely evading the head of the spear. He pulled out his family’s knife and slammed it into the troll’s foot, then tapped Furi on the back of the neck.

Furi turned his head, saw the troll, and snapped it in half with his jaws.

Below, Alex and Chine were circling the balrog, who was still cracking his whip. Around them, the battle continued. It was unclear if Boundless was going to get out of this alive. Alex didn’t care, though. They were creating a distraction that would allow the minerals to arrive at their destination.

Chine’s claws glowed again, and he fired another concussive blast. This time the balrog was ready for it, though. The balrog cracked its whip, breaking through the blast as it advanced. It spread its wings and flew toward Chine and slammed into the dragon. They rolled over each other, sending Alex flying through the air.

She landed on her feet as her dragon wrestled with the balrog. She was surrounded by vrosks and trolls. One of the trolls lunged for her, but she stepped to the side and brought her scythe down before drawing her energy shotgun.

As the troll’s vrosk screeched and flew at Alex, she let her scythe dissolve and fired a plasma scattershot. The vrosk hit the ground and skidded across the canyon floor.

Two more of the trolls came for Alex. One of them knocked her to the ground, and she screamed in pain as the troll drove his spear through her left shoulder.

Alex still managed to aim and fire, taking off the troll’s head. She scrambled to her feet, drew her scythe again, and sliced through the vrosk’s legs, turning as quickly as she could and firing again before slamming her fist to her chest and erupting in a brief fury of ether fire.

Alex threw herself sideways, firing at the closest troll before rolling away and running to her dragon. Jollies flew up beside her, “Hey! Alex, if you can take care of the balrog, I have something that should clear up the rest of the trolls. But you’ll need to get clear, okay?”

Alex flashed Jollies a thumbs-up and concentrated on getting back onto Chine, whose back was facing her. This was her best chance. She flung herself into the air, stretching her anchor toward Chine. The anchor connected, and Alex’s feet stuck to Chine’s back, even though he was on his hind legs.

The balrog had its claws around Chine’s neck and was trying to sever the dragon’s jugular. Alex tapped Chine’s head, hoping he was still reading her mind. Then she ran up the length of his neck, down his head, and sailed through the air, her scythe drawn, and brought her blade down in the middle of the balrog’s flaming skull.

It screamed in pain and backed away from the dragon, who took the opening and knocked it to the ground. Chine bit down hard on the monster’s neck and tore it open, then shot an inferno of ether fire into the wound, severing the balrog’s head from its neck.

Alex scampered back up Chine and pointed in the direction the mech riders had gone. “All right, everyone, move now! Leave the rest for Jollies!” Alex shouted.

Brath’s bemused voice came through the comm. “Wait, for Jollies?”

“You heard what I said! Now, move, move, move!”

Team Boundless and Alborn’s riders turned and sped toward the mechs.

Once Jollies was certain her friends were clear, she clenched her fists, and her dragon anchor glowed. Both her and Amber’s bodies began to vibrate. The vibrations were so intense, they were creating multiple images of Jollies and Amber. Then the images became solid.

The canyon was filled with hundreds of Jollies and Ambers, each of them crackling energy. They all attacked, hundreds of bodies firing lightning at anything that moved.

Smoke billowed from the canyon, and there was a massive boom, then thunder and a flash of lightning. Alex looked over her shoulder to see what was happening, but there was too much smoke for her to tell.

Then the pixie and her dragon flew out of the smoke. Jollies was giggling and scratching the back of Amber’s neck. “All done,” she said. “If they’re still alive, they won’t be coming for us anytime soon. I can promise you that.”

Alex air-high-fived Jollies. “Didn’t know you two were packing so much power,” she said, laughing.

“Big things come in small packages!”

The dragonriders sped through the canyon, leaving behind the screams and cries of the trolls and vrosks. They had a delivery to protect.

Chapter Nine

Alex and the rest of the dragonriders arrived at the rendezvous near sunset. She wasn’t sure how long they had been riding since they had all been busy recounting the battle to each other. Alborn was frankly impressed by Alex and the rest of Boundless.

After the battle, Alborn had received a message from the mech riders, detailing that they had arrived at the processing facility in one piece. They hadn’t come across any more of the Dark One’s forces on the way.

Alex’s gamble had paid off.

While they had been traveling to the rendezvous, Alborn had asked Alex to fly beside him so they could talk. “I’m sorry for back there,” the elf apologized. “I wasn’t expecting you to be nearly as capable as you were.”

Alex shrugged it off and smiled sincerely. “I can see where you were coming from,” she admitted. “I don’t know if I would have been too keen on trusting a rookie.”

“You don’t handle yourself like a rookie. That was some expert commanding I saw going on back there. Not a lot of people can get that much teamwork from a team on their first mission, let alone someone who hasn’t gone through the Nest’s training program. Like I said, impressive.”

Alborn and Alex talked more as they made their way to the facility. Alborn explained that leadership wasn’t something he had ever wanted, nor was it something he felt suited for. But his family had always been military, thus he was military. He said he wished he could have been a farmer instead.

Alex listened intently as Alborn spoke. She hadn’t thought about how the war had affected people who hadn’t wanted to pick up a sword to begin with. It was impressive that there were people like Alborn who had answered the call of duty, regardless of their own desires.

Once Alborn was finished, Alex returned to Team Boundless, listening to Brath and Jollies talking to each other. Brath was amazed by the last attack Jollies had performed and was trying to get the pixie to tell him how she had done it.

Jollies playfully refused, trying for as many compliments as she could get. That was when Brath admitted he had been having problems with Furi. Turned out, the gnome’s and the dragon’s personalities were too similar, both brash and angry. It made it hard to manage together.

Gill cut into Jollies’ and Brath’s conversation. “That’s why I keep saying you need to start meditating with me,” the drow said. “It would help you calm down. Give you some inner stability.”

Brath sighed and tried to ignore Gill, but he just reiterated his point, not taking no for an answer. “I’m sorry!” Brath finally exploded. “It’s just so boring. Who wants to sit in a forest for an hour with their eyes closed, concentrating on their breathing? I’m surprised you don’t go crazy.”

“Calm is something a warrior must embrace. It allows one to look at the battlefield coolly rather than being overwhelmed. Take Alex, for instance.”

Alex threw up her hands, trying to keep the conversation from turning to her. “Whoa, hold on there,” she interjected. “Don’t bring me into this.”

Gill gave Alex a quizzical look. “Why not? You were the definition of calmness today,” the drow said. “We were clearly outnumbered and didn’t have the support of our comrades, yet you took charge and led us to victory.”

Alex blushed as she tried to find words. “Okay, for one, I didn’t lead us to victory. We were all there, and we all did our part. Secondly, I was not calm. I was freaking out the entire time. Honestly, I’m surprised we’re still alive.”

“Exactly my point. Inwardly, you might have been tumultuous, but outwardly, you were in control.”

Jim shifted on his mech’s back and laughed. “Yeah, that’s how Alex always was in VR,” he added. “She never seemed stressed about any of the crazy stunts she was pulling. Made them look easy. Like today, when she went for the balrog’s head? I would never have had the guts to do that.”

Alex remained quiet, embarrassed by their praise. Chine’s voice cut into her head. Your friends respect you a lot, and so do the other dragons. It’s admirable, and you’ve earned it.

Alex scratched the back of Chine’s head behind his ears. You have too. You were amazing out there.

We were amazing.

When the dragonriders landed at the mineral processing plant, they were greeted by the mech riders who’d transported the materials and Commander Pinelt, the overseer of the facility. Pinelt brought them inside and led them to the dining hall, where they could have a meal.

The mech riders were extremely grateful for the support Boundless and Alborn had provided. They said they would mention it in their reports.

The dining hall wasn’t much different from the one at the Nest, although not nearly as magical. The dragonriders helped themselves to food from the buffet area and took their seats, ravenously eating in silence.

During the meal, Alex checked her messages to see what their next step was going to be. Their mission outline hadn’t included information on what to do once they had finished transporting the minerals. “Are we just supposed to wait here until someone gets in touch with us?” she asked Gill.

Gill put down his fork and pushed his plate away. “I’m not certain,” he admitted. “Probably something we should have figured out ahead of time.”

Alborn and the rest of his squad had left the dining hall some time ago. Alex rose from her chair and brushed her hair back from her face. “I’m going to go check with Alborn,” she told the team. “He probably has a better idea of what should happen next. I’ll catch up with you guys in a bit.”

Alex left the dining hall and wandered through the facility. She didn’t have the slightest clue where she was going but figured it couldn’t be any harder than finding her way in the Wasp’s Nest, and that was when she had mostly been blind.

As Alex walked around, she saw the different areas of the facility. It seemed to be more of a processing plant than a military base. There were glass walls everywhere, which allowed her to watch the weapon-making process. Giant machines were pounding the minerals.

Elvish mages in white coats walked between the machines, checking the integrity of the minerals.

Another section was an active firing range where dwarves tested energy weapons, firing at moving targets of trolls, giants, and griffons.

Alex walked past a mage who was dressed in white and carried a clipboard. “Excuse me,” Alex called. “I’m lost. You think you could help me?”

The mage looked up from his clipboard, not trying to mask his annoyance. “What are you looking for?” he snapped.

“I’m trying to find Alborn. I’m with the team of dragonriders that came with him. Team Boundless.”

The annoyance left the mage’s face, replaced by an eager smile. “Oh, you must be Alex Bound,” he gushed. “We’ve been hearing a lot about your team since you got in. Great work. Uh, I believe Alborn is debriefing with the commander in the War Room. Go straight and then left at the end of the hall.”

“Thanks,” Alex said as she took off. When she got to the end of the corridor, she turned left and walked into the War Room.

The War Room was a cluttered mess of computer terminals and holographic projections. There hardly seemed to be any room to stand in what amounted to a cramped office. Alborn and Pinelt were standing over a holographic map.

Pinelt pointed to a spot on the map and said, “This is where the skirmish is taking place. We don’t know when it broke out, but we’ve been trying to get ears on it for about three hours.”

Alborn twirled his spindly mustache as he thought. “Have you been in contact with Roy or Toppinir?”

“We lost contact with them at the same time as everyone else. We received a distress call from Roy stating the Dark One was launching a massive attack, but he didn’t give any more details. He did say he and Toppinir were going to try to stop him.”

Alborn looked for a place to sit down, finally settling on a stack of boxes. “Are you saying those two went out there alone without any backup?”

“Something to that effect.”

Alex cleared her throat as she stepped into the room. “Uh, we could give him backup.”

Alborn jumped at the sound of Alex’s voice, while Pinelt let his eyes coolly fall on the girl. “I apologize. Were you informed about this debriefing?”

Alex suddenly felt very small. She remembered she was probably still just a kid in the eyes of these two. “No,” she said quietly. “I was looking for you two to see what you wanted Boundless to do since we finished our mission.”

Pinelt shut down the holographic map. “Just relax. You all had a grueling first mission. Wouldn’t want you to burn yourselves out.”

“But you said Roy and Toppinir don’t have any backup. We could provide it. You saw how well we—”

“Handled a few enemies. True, you performed wonderfully, but you’re all still rookies, and this isn’t a mission for rookies. Besides, Roy and Toppinir are our best riders. They can take care of themselves.”

Alex walked farther into the room, then stood up straight and squared her shoulders. “Excuse me, sir. Uh, sir, that’s right? Sir, if Roy and Toppinir are your best riders, don’t you think it would make sense to protect them? They’re valuable assets.”

Pinelt rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Do not wear your welcome thin, Ms. Bound. I will not be given orders by a child.”

Alborn rested his hand on Pinelt’s shoulder. “If I may—”

Pinelt shot Alborn a glance of pure malice. “What is it, Alborn?” he hissed.

“Alex showed incredible leadership skills earlier, and her team acted with unmatched heroism, teamwork, and skill. If we are looking—”

“We are not looking. Conversation over.”

Pinelt turned his furious gaze on Alex. “I advise you and your team to head to the barracks and get some rest. There might be another delivery mission for you. Dismissed.”

Alex just stood there, quaking as she tried to keep from exploding. “Sure,” she finally muttered. “Whatever you say.”

Chapter Ten

Alex stormed back to the dining hall, Pinelt’s words ringing in her ears. Kids? Kids who pulled their butts out of the frying pan, she thought. Telling her to go get some sleep like a child being sent to bed was the icing on the cake of humiliation.

When Alex walked into the dining hall, she saw her team sitting there talking quietly. No one at that table was “just a kid.” They were all dragonriders, and they were here to fight the Dark One and do their parts in the war.

Alex wasn’t ready to face Boundless and tell them that despite their hard work, they had been benched so the “veterans” could take care of things. Instead, Alex wandered around the facility, looking for the barracks so she could have some time alone.

Once Alex stumbled upon the barracks, she found an empty bed and sat on the bottom bunk. She opened her HUD, hoping for an update on the state of their mission. Instead, she found a message from her parents.

Alex opened it and laid back on the bed.

Her parents were beaming at her, her father tapping the camera lens he was recording on. “Hey, is this thing on? Alex, can you hear me?”

Liza shook her head as she pointed to the camera. “George, she can’t answer us. This isn’t a video call, it’s a video message.”

“Oh, right. Well, anyway, Alex, we just wanted to say hi. We got your last message, and we’re really proud of you and how you’re handling yourself.”

Liza pushed George out of the way so she was front and center. “That’s right, sweetie! Handling bullies isn’t easy, but we know you’ll figure out a way to deal with it and come out better for it all. We’ve always been proud of your ability to stand up for yourself.”

George rested his hand on Liza’s shoulder. “That’s right. We know you don’t take guff from anyone, and I couldn’t be prouder of my daughter. All right, we’re signing off. Stay alive!”

Liza shot a disapproving glance at George, shouting, “George, that’s not even close to funny!”

George chuckled as he reached to turn off the video. “Alex will probably think it is,” he said, laughing.

The video went blank, leaving Alex alone with her thoughts. It didn’t feel like she was standing up for herself right now. It felt even worse knowing that two people might be in serious danger because she was going to obey orders that made no sense.

Alex knew she should have stayed in bed, but she got up and made her way to the field outside where the dragons were being kept. She thought talking to Chine might help her clear her head.

Chine was sitting in the corner of the field, away from the other dragons. Alex waved as she approached him. Hey!

He raised his head and puffed out a little smoke. Something on your mind, Dustling?

You already know what’s on my mind, don’t you?

Chine’s wings stretched out as he sat up. True, but it’s always better to hear it from you.

Alex sat down across from Chine and folded her arms. She felt like a pouting child, but she didn’t care. I think the commander is full of crap. He knows he needs help, but he’s too proud to admit it. And we could help. I know we could.

Have you thought maybe he’s looking out for your safety?

The thought hadn’t crossed Alex’s mind. She had assumed his decision was based on a lack of faith in her abilities. No, not really.

Nevertheless, he was extremely dismissive. So, what are you going to do about it?

Alex leaned back and looked up at Chine’s intense black eyes. What do you mean?

I believe this is a question of wills, Dustling. There is the commander’s will, and there is your will. Which do you believe is stronger?

* * *

Alex stormed into the dining hall. The members of Team Boundless jumped when they heard the hall’s door slam. “All right. We’re grounded. Literally. The commander doesn’t want us going anywhere.”

Brath looked up from his food. It was his third plate. “Is there somewhere to go?”

Alex sat down and nodded. “There’s a battle going on. Roy and Toppinir are all alone and outnumbered. No one has heard from them in three hours. I volunteered our team to help, but the commander said we needed to stay put.”

Jim watched Alex closely as he spoke. “You don’t think we should?”

Alex played with one of the spoons on the table. “He doesn’t think we’re qualified, or he’s afraid we could get hurt. I’m not going to ask you guys to disobey a direct order or put yourself in danger because of what I think.”

Gill, who was sitting on the table, his legs crossed, opened one of his eyes. “And what exactly do you think?” he asked.

“I think we should help Roy and Toppinir. I think we can handle it. I don’t think we should be treated like children if we’re going to fight in this war.”

Jollies landed on Alex’s shoulder and walked to Alex’s ear. “We’re going to get in a lot of trouble for this, aren’t we?”

Alex smiled mischievously—the same smile that always graced her face when she was thinking about doing something reckless. “The way I figure it, we can’t get in trouble if we save Roy and Toppinir, and we can’t get in trouble if we’re dead.”

Team Boundless sat in silence for a few moments, weighing the gravity of Alex’s words. Finally, Brath asked, “When are we leaving?”

Alex brought up her HUD one last time to see if they had received any updates. There were none. “Now. Let’s go save Roy and Toppinir.”

Author Notes Ramy Vance

February 13, 2020

Dragons. Massive reptilian creatures with interlocking scales whose breath can burn a person to cinders within seconds. The beating of their wings bends trees at the trunk, and at full spread, they stretch a field’s length. Then there are the claws—curved knives at the end of each toe that can tear flesh from the bone in one quick, leisurely swipe.

But this is just the European dragon.

There are many dragons out there in the mythos, and they’re all different from one another. You’ve likely heard of the Chinese dragon, too—a snake-like, four-legged creature with a large head similar to a boar’s. These are often paraded during festivals, but there are many other kinds of dragon in Chinese lore. Lake dragons, winged dragons, dragons that guard the underworld from thieves, two-headed dragons, shapeshifting dragons and some are even legless (not drunk, but lacking legs - although, maybe they are drunk too - who knows?)

The there are Indian dragons, Japanese dragons, Korean dragons, Slavic and Turkish and Albanian dragons… and they’re not all the same thing. They have similarities, for sure, but there are enough differences there to keep things interesting. So I give you: The Diverse World of Dragons *fanfare*.

Nāga

A Nāga is an Indian dragon that often appears as a huge king cobra. They are violent and aggressive creatures that possess great muscular strength, and like the king cobra, their fangs are capable of delivering fatal venom into the bloodstream of anything that gets in their path.

Despite these characteristics, Nāgas are not all bad. Some act on the side of good, and a fair number are pretty neutral. In Hinduism, Nāgas are in fact nature spirits that guard bodies of water and can even bless the lands surrounding them. Of course, if you get on a Nāga’s bad side, you can expect drought or floods - but keep it happy, and you’ll get a damn fine harvest.

Unlike most European dragons, the Nāga can take a human form, and they make curious individuals. In this state they are not aggressive, but can quickly become so if angered or mistreated. In the Buddhist faith, Nāgas often have more than one head, which makes the dragon significantly more dangerous.

Japanese Dragon - Ryū

These tend to be good guys - Japanese dragons are heavily influenced by the Chinese and Indian dragons. So it’s unsurprising to hear that the Japanese dragon - much like the Buddhist reading of Nāga - is associated with rain, bodies freshwater, and the sea. There are further similarities between the two, and the Japanese borrow heavily from Indian folklore - such as the history of the underwater kingdom in which the Nāga kings live.

Ryū are snake-like in appearance and don’t often have wings. They have short, clawed feet and generally are physically very similar to the Chinese Long, but usually have three claws instead of the Chinese four/five. Like many characters in folklore, the Japanese dragons are often quest-givers and can easily manipulate the texture of the world around them - perform a deed for a local dragon, and your wish to become emperor might just come true…

Bukunawa

Another moon-swallowing creature, the Bukunawa is a Philippine dragon that threatens to swallow the moon forever. However, the creature is often scared away from total digestion by loud noise or music - and in these circumstances is forced to regurgitate the moon and return home, which is deep under the sea. We know these incidents as eclipses.

The Filipinos believe there are seven moons, not one, and that these moons were created by Bathala to keep the sky light at night. But every time Bathala let a moon rise into the sky, the Bukanawa would launch itself from the water and eat it whole. Bathala wasn’t impressed, but there wasn’t a whole lot he could do about it, either. He instructed the island's residents to gather outside with cookware and make as much noise as possible so as to confuse and scare the dragon away.

There is a short tale that further details the history of the Bukunawa. Apparently the deep-sea dwelling creature had a sister by who was a sea turtle. She would lay her eggs on the shore, but every time she did so, she would bring waves with her which would not settle back to their normal levels after she had left. So they killed the turtle, and the Bukunawa didn’t like this at all. Its desire to eat the moon stemmed from this incident.

Lindworm

Away from the East we have the European dragons, which are quite different (though equally as fierce). The lindworm is one such example - a serpent creature with no wings, two claws, and an alarmingly strong jaw. You might remember the post on apocalypses - if so, then you’ll remember the Norse concept of the end of the world, and how a creature known as Jörmungandr arrives on the land from the sea. Well, this foul demon is a lindworm. Perhaps the most famous lindworm of them all.

The lindworm’s physical appearance can vary, however. There are lindworms with four legs or none. There are those privileged enough to have wings. However, most lindworms are snakey, slithery creatures with only two claws with which they pull themselves around.

The stories surrounding the lindworm are various - in many they occupy negative space, and are truly demonic and foul creatures. Its poisonous bite allows it to kill quickly, and so it has no reason to fear us humans. In Norse mythology, the lindworms gnaw at the very bottom of the roots of Yggdrasil, and you can see the influence of the Norse in many tales, in which the lindworms rise from below the Earth.

Wyvern

I can imagine the wyvern is familiar to many of us. We know the wyvern as a two-legged dragon with all the features typical of such a creature. There are, however, also underwater wyverns, who do not have the traditional tail, but a fin instead. Their similarities to dragons makes is difficult to tell them apart. Many a dragon has been called a wyvern by an ignorant writer, and that writer has often been turned to a charred corpse only seconds later…

Wyverns are often considered to be ‘lesser’ dragons. Many wyverns are incapable of breathing fire, and they tend to be smaller than the larger dragon. The wyvern is similar to the lindworm in that they operate largely with poison - though the wyvern has poisonous breath rather than a poison bite. Like the lindworm, there are no redeeming characteristics to a wyvern - they’re unpleasant, foul creatures akin to demons.

Slavic Dragons - Zmey Gorynych & Zmaj

Slavic dragons have much in common with their European counterparts, except they often have more than one head and some can even regenerate limbs. The two names above are specific dragon types - the first, Zmey Gorynych, is a creature particular to Ukrainian and Russian mythology, and the second is a creature of South Slavic origin which is said to be very wise, have incredible strength, and possesses magical abilities.

Zmey Gorynych is a more traditional dragon. It has four legs, though only walks on the rear two, and does all the traditional dragon things - spits fire, munches flesh, throws people around… the number of heads isn’t detailed, but paintings show the Zmey Gorynych owning three heads or more.

The Zmaj is altogether more interesting. Sure it has strength and knowledge and magical abilities, but it’s also said to possess great wealth and a lustful desire for women. It can reproduce with human woman, and it lurks in the neutral zone of good vs bad. It’s not the most benevolent of creatures, but neither is it the darkest evil. Like other dragons it can breathe fire, but unlike other dragons, it’s often highly respected - which makes it sound like an upstanding member of the local community.

However, and most intriguingly, many national heroes have been said to be dragons. One such character was the Bosniak general Husein-kapetan Gradaščević who fought the Ottomans for Greater Bosnian independence. His success led to him being named ‘The Dragon of Bosnia.’ So dragons *do* walk among us.

They also have the Aždaja, which like the Zmey Gorynych which has many heads but is a creature of absolute pure evil. It lives deep in caves and dark areas and tends to guard specific locations. It’s basically a monster to slay in fairytales, which is rather unfortunate. It’s not really a dragon either - more of an evil creature - but it and the zmaj get confused frequently.

There are many other types of dragon existing in the world today. Chuvash dragons, Romanian dragons, Asturian dragons… maybe we will document more in later articles!

Author Notes Michael Anderle

February 14, 2020

Thank you for reading The Dragon Approved stories!

Do you know about our podcast to tell you what’s happening with our authors, other authors, and our releases?

No?

Check out Behind the Fiction right here: (Podcast: https://lmbpn.com/category/behind-the-fiction/).

Thank you for reading our stories and encouraging all of our authors with your kind words, wonderful reviews, and passing the news along to other readers. Believe me, sometimes just hearing fans stories about where / how / when these characters or ideas touched you makes our whole day bright and wonderful!

If you like the artwork, the artist is Jake Caleb, at JCalebDesign.com – check out his other amazing art! Http://jcalebdesign.com

Diary, February 9th – 15th

So, it’s Monday the 10th at the moment, and I’m already up to a few shenanigans that are cool.

At least, in my opinion.

A few weeks ago, we did a model shoot for one of our series. During that shoot, we took some special headshots of the model to allow us to see if we could map a real face to a 3D head. Now, that doesn’t seem like anything special.

Except, we are a publishing company (trying to become an entertainment company.)

We type—a lot—and edit and publish and all sorts of things related to putting out books. Having said all that, we have been working towards 3D bodies / heads / video clips for three (3) years, and recently, Reallusion (https://www.reallusion.com) has released a way for us to use our modeling images / cover shoots for a bit more.

Take a moment (or twenty) to see the product Reallusion has released (link above) to map a face to a 3D model. I think you could have fun with it. Imagine taking a picture of your grandparent, or mom, or friend and placing them in a short animated video.

Can you IMAGINE the mischief you could get into? It would be FANTASTIC!

Now that you have the power, don’t do anything evil. (I can’t say “don’t do anything I wouldn’t do” since we all know I’m an author. I’ll absolutely do something you shouldn’t do and laugh maniacally as I do it.)

Even if you don’t have the time right now, use your phone to capture the images of your friend/loved one/person you hate ranting about a subject. You will be able to use the voice to match the lips of the 3D character in the future. You just need the photos and audio at the moment. Use them when you get time.

Or, someone on Fiverr (www.Fiverr.com) will eventually offer it as a service for $50.00, I believe.

Consider it the not-very-fake deepfake (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepfake)—the cheap version.

I’m so happy to be back in Vegas!

I’m back from the #Superstars Writing Seminar in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The people were fantastic, the relationships I formed spectacular.

The lack of oxygen was suffocating. (PUN, PUN! Wait, is that a pun?)

(Editor’s note: No.)

(Author’s Reply: Damn.)

It might surprise you to know that Las Vegas is about a half-mile above sea level. So, while I came down from on high, Vegas isn’t exactly brimming with oxygen. This might also explain why some casinos (rumored?) pump oxygen into the casino area itself to keep people awake.

I think I might go visit the Aria to work. Maybe I’ll be pumped full of oxygen.

Dammit, I need a nap, and it’s only 10:30am in the morning. This jetlag is STILL kicking me in the ass.

Do enjoy your week. I’m going to go pretend to be an old man who needs his late-morning nap.

Ad Aeternitatem,

Michael

P.S. – It is Thursday the 13th (Yes, I did buy my wife something for tomorrow—I’m an author who is not suicidal. The purchase includes candy, not a hairdryer or washing machine, because I don’t want my intelligent wife to focus on devious shit for my future. Plus, I’m going to take her to see the movie Knives Out. I don’t want her to consider it research.)

P.S.S. – It’s Friday the 14th, I’ve been a good husband and have not done anything to upset the excellent movie setup for tonight. T minus 3 hours, 21 minutes to not F@#%@ up. I did not make it to Friday. I gave her her gift (of the candy and plaque) about 10 minutes before midnight.

I suck at holding onto gifts.

The Descent

Dragon Approved™ Book Six

Chapter One

Alex impatiently tapped her feet while she stood outside, waiting for Team Boundless to meet her. She’d already been waiting for an hour, and patience was not one of her virtues. She’d become very aware of that fact.

Waiting for the team was much better than waiting for the higher-ups to take her seriously. At least the team was going to show up.

When Alex had decided that Boundless was going to go help Roy and Toppinir, she’d thought they would just jump on their dragons and head out. Then Gill had brought Alex back down to reality and explained what they would have to do before they could get moving.

The dragons had just been in an impressive and taxing battle a few hours before. Maintenance had to be the first and foremost priority if the dragons were going to be moving again. The dragons could very easily get hurt if their equipment was not maintained, not to mention, they needed a break.

Alex had jumped at the chance to do anything to help Chine feel better. She hadn’t been aware that he had been in any kind of pain. None of the dragons seemed to have been damaged during the battle, and she had completely forgotten what she’d been told when she was back at the Nest.

Gill once more burst Alex’s bubble. It wasn’t as simple as just going to change out their dragon’s equipment. They would need access to the stables in this facility—the facility they weren’t supposed to be exploring. The same facility where everyone was on edge and which was filled with patrols.

“I see your point,” Alex had said. “You’re basically telling me we have no options. We just have to sit around, even though we all agreed that we’re going to help Toppinir and Roy. That is what you’re saying, right, Gill?”

Gill had taken a deep breath and launched into a lengthy explanation of his plan to get the team out of the facility with their dragons healthy and newly equipped. The plan was long. And complicated. There were moments Alex thought Gill might have snapped under the pressure. But it was a plan—that much she could be certain of.

The team had decided to go with Gill’s plan, seeing as how they didn’t have any other options. That was why Alex was waiting outside, very aware that she wanted to be pacing and even more aware that pacing would just draw more attention to her. Which was not in the plan.

Gill, Brath, Jim, and Jollies exited the facility and rushed over to Alex. Jim and Gill were carrying a couple of video cameras and cords that they packed onto Jim’s back. Brath was playing with a set of keys. “What are those for?” Alex asked.

Brath tossed the keys to Alex. “We’re going on a little joyride,” Brath replied.

* * *

Team Boundless rolled down the quarry, driving a yeti ATV. Naturally, the ATV was nearly twice the size of a regular ATV, and as a result, Alex and the others had to come up with a creative way to drive the beast of a machine.

Alex and Gill were given brake and accelerator duty. They were both down at the bottom of the ATV, shoved together tighter than Alex liked. As they worked the two pedals, their hands occasionally brushed.

Gill didn’t seem to notice. Alex tried not to notice Gill not noticing.

Jim sat on a milk crate in front of the passenger seat, working the clutch. For some reason, yeti ATVs required two yetis to operate them, possibly because they were so large and demanding.

Whenever Brath shouted, “Shifting,” Jim would kick down on the clutch so that Jollies, who was zipping around in the ATV, could slam against the gear shifter and move it to the appropriate gear.

Brath was taking care of the steering. He was the oldest of the team members. Alex found this extremely surprising because Brath seemed like the least mature of the group. But as the oldest, he had been the only one who knew how to drive.

The ATV bumped up and down as Brath steered over a large rock. “How did you ever get a chance to drive?” Alex asked from the bottom of the ATV. “Do gnomes even have cars?”

Brath struggled with the wheel as he tried to rein in the beastly ATV. “I mean, they’re close enough to human cars,” Brath explained. “They’re kinda slower and clunkier, kinda like your human’s steampunk nonsense. Except ours actually work well. Mostly dwarfish style. You know, similar heights.”

“You probably should have taken more driving lessons.”

Brath pulled hard to the right, swinging the ATV around the canyon’s corner. “I don’t see anyone else with anything close to driving experience!” Brath shouted as his face went red. “Anyone who has that is more than welcome to get up here and start steering.”

Alex and Gill snickered from the bottom of the ATV as Brath continued to mutter under his breath about how underappreciated he was. “So, why are we doing all of this, Gill?” Brath shouted.

The ATV shuddered as Brath tried to guide it toward the canyon’s walls, where the slope was low enough for him to start climbing. “We are doing this as part of a diversion,” Gill explained. “We need to get the soldiers out of the facility so we can access the dragons.”

Jim, who was staring out the window, jumped as Brath shouted, “Shift! Then speed up!”

Once the team had changed gears, Jim asked, “How does becoming an A/V team help us to get everyone out of the facility?”

The ATV started to climb the canyon. It instantly began losing speed, its wheels churning through the gravel as Alex panicked and hit her pedal, causing the ATV to speed up. Brath shouted, “Clutch,” and Jim slammed down on the clutch while Jollies screeched, “Shift!”

They continued on in this way, the ATV a collection of shouting voices: Brath trying to direct what action needed to be fulfilled, Alex trying to stifle her nervous giggles, and Jollies cursing under her breath in Pixie.

As they climbed the mountain, Gill went further into the plan. They were going to draw out the soldiers with a ploy. Over in the canyon, where they had battled the trolls, there was plenty of material to work with.

A second attack by the trolls would light a fire under the asses of the soldiers at the facility. They wouldn’t be able to ignore it. It wasn’t as if the soldiers were going to help Roy and Toppinir since the facilities’ resources were already low.

Alex thought the idea sounded far-fetched and hard to believe. Why not just start a fire in the facility? When Alex pressed Gill on the details, he merely shrugged and said, “Outside the facility is better. We have more control and a longer window of time to work in.”

So, Alex accepted that it was going to be out of her control. The more she thought about it, though, the more she was all right with it. She’d been calling most of the shots since they left on their mission, but she knew her team was capable.

Why not find out their strengths?

After another twenty minutes of fighting with the ATV (and each other), Team Boundless arrived at the bloodstained battlefield. There hadn’t been enough time for the trolls and vrosks to start rotting. Still, Alex was taken aback by the scene. When they were fighting, she had been in the frenzy of battle, and she hadn’t really thought much about what she had done. There hadn’t been time, but now there was.

The canyon was quiet, the only sound a breeze rustling through. This felt like a solemn moment, and Alex tried to take it all in. It was different than in Middang3ard; after the battles in VR, players had cracked jokes, and there had been an air of levity. Nothing like this.

They weren’t standing in the middle of a virtual battleground. This was a field of death. Vultures were already starting to descend on their oddly winged brethren, lying dead on the floor of the canyon.

Jim whistled. “Man, those dragons can really tear things up.”

Alex started heading toward the field to get a better look at the carnage the dragonriders had left in their wake. “Yeah, that’s an understatement,” she replied. “Seriously, those beasts are powerful. Extremely powerful.”

A thought crossed Alex’s mind, and she turned back to face the other dragonriders. “Hey, if dragons are this powerful, what the hell does the Dark One have up his sleeve that’s causing so much trouble for the rest of the dragonriders?”

Jollies was flying back and forth, looking at all the bodies. “That’s a good question,” she answered. “As far as I know, dragons are the be-all and end-all of creatures. The wisest, the strongest…you know, pretty much the top of the line.”

“Yeah, back in VR, dragons were mostly end-game. Nothing you took lightly,” Alex agreed. “But if you could take down a dragon, you could take down anything. What is this guy using that could take down dragons?”

Gill was already farther down the canyon, walking among the bodies. Jim was with him and they were talking quietly, Gill pointing to places where he wanted Jim to set up a camera.

Brath came up behind Alex and stood next to her. He didn’t say anything, but Alex could see that he was watching Gill and Jim closely. She thought it might be jealousy since she’d noticed that Jim and Gill seemed to get along very well. Brath probably felt threatened. Alex leaned over to Brath and nudged him.

Brath looked up at Alex, annoyed. “What?” he growled.

“Jealous much?”

“What? Of what?”

Alex tilted her head in the direction of Gill and Jim. “You know you can go over there and help them.”

Brath scoffed loudly and folded his arms. “If Gill wanted my help, he would have asked for it instead of asking Jim.”

“Or maybe he just assumed you knew he’d like your help. You two already know each other. He’s probably just trying to help Jim feel like he’s part of the team. He hasn’t known us as long as we’ve known each other.”

Brath threw his hands in the air as he walked off. “I don’t need any advice,” he shouted.

Alex noticed that Brath was heading in Gill and Jim’s direction. The gnome had gotten the point. Now she was free to wonder about the vast complexities of the universe, especially the part where she was unlucky enough to have a crush on two guys who were becoming fast friends.

The three boys worked on setting up the cameras as Jollies and Alex stayed farther back in the canyon, keeping watch for any troll patrols or other dragonriders. Jollies sat on Alex’s shoulder as usual, chattering nearly too fast for Alex to understand.

Sometimes Jollies got like that. It meant she was either excited or nervous, and at the moment, it seemed like too much excitement. She was curious to know how the plan was going to work out. Alex, on the other hand, was trying to keep her pessimism to herself.

Finally, the boys finished placing the cameras. Alex and Jollies came over to check out their work. Altogether, there were ten cameras placed around the circumference of the battlefield. In addition, there were also ten cameras on the ground, facing up at the sky.

Alex pointed at one of the cameras looking skyward. “Okay, so you’re going to have to explain exactly what you’re doing,” she said. “Because it looks like a really weird photography project.”

Gill slid up his visor and sat down on a rock as he scrolled through menus, occasionally looking at his dragon anchor. “I’m creating a digital construction,” Gill explained. “Basically, a virtual reality simulation, or more like a computer-generated image—the kind that humans use for their movies. The sky acts as the green screen. The bodies are assets.”

“You’re making a movie?”

“A movie of our trolls’ reinforcements. Then I’m going to hack into the security systems at the facility and replace their feed with the one that I made.”

Gill pointed to the canyon, and Alex noticed that there were cameras sporadically placed that were used for the facility’s security. “Wait,” Alex asked. “Why didn’t the facility send reinforcements when we were being attacked?”

“Because they’re understaffed. Also, the cameras have a delay, which we can use to our advantage. We’ll head back after I upload the video. By the time we get back, they should be sending out their reinforcements.”

Jim gave Gill a high five and said, “Dude, that’s sick. Using their own tech against them.”

Brath chimed in, speaking a little too loudly and eagerly. “Yeah, that’s amazing, Gill.”

All of the riders turned and looked at Brath, surprised by something other than smugness or carefully cultivated disinterest. Brath blushed under their gaze. “I mean, it is,” he muttered. “You’re always coming up with cool stuff. Just thought you should know.”

Gill smiled as if he had known all along about Brath’s jealousy over his new friendship with Jim. “Thanks, Brath,” he said. “I always appreciate your support.”

Brath huffed and puffed loudly as he folded his arms and turned. “You don’t have to go making it all weird,” he mumbled.

Team Boundless waited while Gill worked on constructing the computer-generated troll horde, which took nearly twenty minutes. The team made conversation during that time, Alex occasionally paying attention when anyone other than Jim spoke. But mostly she zoned out.

Finally, Gill flipped his visor down and stood. “All right. Just sent it through. Let’s get out of here and head back.”

Chapter Two

Team Boundless made their way back to the military facility. They were still having a hard time working together to operate the ATV, but after some readjusting, they found a better system. Alex was still at the bottom of the ATV, but Gill and Jim had switched places.

Jollies wasn’t working the shift anymore; that was Brath’s job. Instead, she was a lookout, watching to make sure they didn’t come across any of the riders from the facility. Being spotted would be the end of their plan. That was what Gill said, anyway, when Jollies pouted about having her position snagged.

Alex was glad Gill had stepped in and said something before she did. She’d noticed that Jollies could go from excited to sullen in a split second. The pixie’s temperament was not something to take lightly.

As they made their way through the canyon, focusing on staying at the top so they could keep an eye on what was going on beneath them, Alex concentrated on ignoring Jim. She had only just got out of this same situation with Gill. There wasn’t anything more uncomfortable than being shoved as close as possible to a boy she liked.

Jim being Jim made it a thousand times worse. He wasn’t as kind or brooding as Gill (which, Alex admitted, was a very interesting combination). Jim was normal and human.

The ATV bounced upward and Brath shouted, “Brakes!”

Jim leaned forward and pressed down on the brakes as Alex took her hand off the accelerator. The ATV jerked forward as it slowed down, and Brath shifted the gears. “I don’t ever want to drive like this again,” Jim said, laughing.

The ATV was slowing too much, so Alex lightly pressed down on her pedal. “Yeah, seriously, this is the most stressed out I’ve ever been in a car,” she agreed. “Never would have thought yetis being so huge would annoy me so much.”

The ATV jiggled and jerked again, and Brath started shouting out commands again. Alex was only half-listening when she felt Brath’s foot kick her shoulder for not pressing the pedal hard enough. “Hey, watch it!” Alex shouted at Brath before turning back to Jim.

Jim laughed as he moved around, trying to get comfortable, which caused him to practically lean against Alex, who held her breath as her heart raced.

Jim reached up and tugged on Brath’s pantleg. “Hey, Brath! How long did you live with your parents?” he asked.

Brath warily looked down at Jim for a second. “That’s kinda a personal question. Why are you trying to get to know me all of a sudden?” he asked.

“It’s just a question. I’m not trying to build a profile on you or anything. Just getting to know the team.”

Brath sighed as he turned his attention back to the road. “I moved out when I was six,” he said. “And I was a late one. My mom and dad said that Brorn, my sister, moved out when she was three. Psh. I would have too, if I could. Mom and Dad are so annoying.”

Alex could hardly wrap her head around what Brath had just said. She couldn’t imagine leaving home as a baby. Even now, it wasn’t like she had put a lot of thought into moving out. She wasn’t planning on living with her folks forever, but there just didn’t seem to be a rush to be gone.

That was probably why Alex was so surprised at becoming a dragonrider. In some ways, she had always assumed she was going to be at home. The outside world hadn’t seemed to be an adventure she was going to have. Turned out, though, she was dead wrong.

Brath’s voice broke over the grinding of gears. “Gill, you gotta pop the clutch!” he shouted. “Pop the damn thing!”

Gill took a moment to respond. “Popping the clutch is the opposite of how you are supposed to change gears. That’s why the ATV keeps surging. You have to be restrained, Brath.”

Alex wondered if Jim knew how she felt about Gill. Brath obviously did. And so did Jollies. In all honesty, Gill probably knew as well. It was an uncomfortable feeling, as if Alex’s emotions were on display for the entire team to see.

It didn’t really matter, though, not in the long run. All Alex had to do was keep it from getting in the way of the mission. Even if internally, she felt like she was in a very bad nineties sitcom, that didn’t mean she had to act like it. Sure, she was a teenager, but she knew she could behave maturely.

That was when Alex decided she wasn’t going to worry about choosing anyone. Nothing was ever that simple. In every book she’d ever read, the hero would work themselves into a frenzy, trying to choose the love of their life.

Things were always messy in love triangles, at least in stories. Alex had never been in a real one before. She’d never had a crush on anyone, even. But she felt like she could manage the situation without it devolving into meme-level stupidity. Whatever happened, happened. It was that simple.

Alex felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her chest, and she breathed easily for the first time since she’d been at the bottom of the ATV with one of the boys she liked. This was doable. Besides, there was the whole Dark One and end-of-the-world thing to focus on.

Jollies squealed and broke into Alex’s train of thought. The pixie was zooming back and forth in the ATV’s cockpit. “There they are, there they are!” she chirped, pointing toward the canyon’s edge. “We gotta check it out.”

Barth gave Jollies a confused look. “How do you know they’re down there?” he asked. “They’d be down over the ridge.”

Jollies flashed bright red for a second before mellowing out. “It’s kinda like a sixth sense,” she explained. “I can pick up on people’s emotions, especially strong ones. When a lot of people are feeling similar things, it’s like a light bulb going on in my head.”

Jollies pointed toward the canyon and said, “There’s a lot of anxiety making its way through the canyon. They’re heading for the battlefield.”

Gill stared out his window, trying to get a glance at what might be happening down in the canyon. When he couldn’t see anything, he pulled up his HUD visor and looked through the cameras he had placed there. “They’ve still got a ways to go.”

Alex shouted from the bottom of the ATV, “How long, do you think?”

“Another twenty minutes to get there. Ten to figure out what’s going on. Then another twenty for them to get back.”

“Sweet, so we’ve got like an hour?”

“Not sweet. It’s going to take us some time to get the dragons ready. An hour is pushing it. You’ve never done maintenance before, have you? It’s time-consuming.”

Alex pushed down hard on the accelerator. “Then we’re going to need as much time as we can get!”

The ATV sped along the canyon, the team finally starting to get a good flow among themselves of switching gears and maintaining speed. Everyone was silent, worrying about their time constraints.

Alex wasn’t worried, though. She was trying to figure out ways they could reduce wasted time. “Hey, Gill!” she shouted. “Can you hack into their equipment system?”

Gill pulled up his visor again and started scrolling. “Of course. What do you need to know?”

“Start prepping their dragon stables. Link everyone up so they can start going through their options. That way, we won’t be sitting around trying to figure out what equipment we want to use. We can just take care of the dragons and get the hell out.”

Gill flashed Alex a thumbs-up and got to work. It wasn’t long before he had patched everyone into the stable’s system. Now the team was quiet because they were going over their options, which was a better use of their time than worrying.

Alex kept a constant speed so the rest of the team didn’t have to stress about their roles. Brath was the only one who had to focus, but as he had said, he didn’t need to look at the equipment options. Furi hated just about everything and only used fire anyway.

Alex still wasn’t sure how far Chine’s telepathy stretched, but she figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. She reached out to Chine, thinking, Hey, if you can hear me, could you meet us outside? We kinda did something stupid and need to get going as soon as possible.

Much to Alex’s surprise, Chine’s voice came through loud and clear. Oh, you did? Why am I not surprised to hear that?

Well, they left us alone for so long. What was I supposed to do?

I take it we will be leaving soon?

Yeah. As soon as we can.

Chine laughed softly and replied, Good. None of us dragons quite likes it here. It lacks the splendor of the Nest. We’ll meet you outside.

It took about fifteen minutes for the team to finally arrive back at the facility. They took the ATV around to the back, just in case there were still other riders around. Alex knew that if even one person saw them, it was over.

Team Boundless snuck around the back of the facility while she telepathically let Chine know where they were heading. Occasionally, she peeked through the facility’s windows to see if anyone had stayed around. It looked like the entire base was abandoned.

That said a lot about the situation of the dragonriders on this base. It didn’t seem like they could risk anything. They had launched a full-on assault on the imaginary troll horde. Either Gill had made the situation look extremely dire, or these riders couldn’t take any chances.

Alex felt a little bad for having tricked the riders, but it was their own fault. Hopefully, nothing terrible happened while they were out.

The team turned the corner and were greeted by Chine and the rest of the dragons, lazily lounging in the sun. Chine slowly raised his head when he saw Alex, his eyes twinkling in that smile only dragons could do.

The rest of the dragons rose along with Chine. We were wondering what was taking you so long. Ready to get to work, Dustling?

Chapter Three

The dragons and the riders split up, each pair making their way toward the stables. The plan was for the dragons to wait outside. It would be easy enough for them to enter once the coast was clear, and Alex wanted to make sure the facility was empty first.

She led the team around the back toward where Gill said the stables were. There was only one entrance from outside, and that was through the specially designed ceiling. The only thing that could get through the ceiling’s defense grid was dragons. Anything else would be instantly vaporized.

Instead of going through the ceiling, the team was going to work their way around and sneak in through another section of the facility. They were sending Jollies since she was the smallest, and she was the least likely to get caught after Gill.

Gill would have gone, but he had to keep an eye on the simulation he’d built. The riders of the facility still hadn’t come across it and he wasn’t sure how long it would hold. The simulation had been enough to get the riders out of the building, but he wasn’t sure if it would keep them out there for long enough.

Jollies was making a huge show of getting ready to go into the facility. Her flair for melodrama hadn’t lessened, however potentially stressful the situation was. She was demanding that Alex remind her everything was going to be okay.

Alex opened her palm and let Jollies take a seat in it. “Trust me, Jollies, you’re the best person for the job,” Alex said, wondering how much Jollies needed to hear this.

Jollies sighed, grabbed her hair, and pulled. “But what if I’m not quiet enough? I’m not a sneaky person. Pixies don’t sneak. Maybe a fairy would, but not a pixie. What if I get caught? What if I can’t find the…what am I looking for again? What if I can’t remember what I’m looking for?”

Jollies flashed bright white, then the brightness faded and she looked pale as a sheet of paper. Alex shook her head, smiling. It was evident that the pixie did need the comforting. “Jollies, you’ll do okay,” Alex whispered. “You’re going to head toward HQ and find the mission map.”

“How am I going to know what it is?”

That was when Gill spoke up. “The map is going to be in the middle of the HQ war room. It’ll be a large, green holographic map. They’re usually in the middle of the room. Nearly impossible to miss.”

Brath grumbled, “That’s if she can remember what she’s looking for.”

Jollies zipped in front of Brath’s face and pulled her dagger. “You bet your ass I’m going to remember!” she growled menacingly.

The rest of the team tried to keep from laughing at how ridiculous Jollies was being.

The pixie flew back to Alex. “All right! I’m ready. Let’s do this!”

* * *

Jollies slipped under the door leading to the janitor’s closet, which opened into the back of the facility to make for simpler waste management. Gill had found it the easiest point in the whole facility to sneak into. The closet was surprisingly large.

Once Jollies was in, she stuck her head under the door that led to the main facility. She was still a long way from the war room, and her best route was going to be through the air ducts. For anyone other than Jollies, it would have been a tight fit. For her, they were downright spacious.

Through the ducts, Jollies made her way toward the war room. The plan was that she would get a copy of the map while the rest of the team tried to find a way to get into the stables.

While Jollies was flying, she was also taking live readings of the areas of the facility she was passing through to make sure there were no other riders. So far, she hadn’t come across any.

There was still a good amount of distance between the janitor’s closet and the war room, though.

* * *

Gill led Team Boundless around the side of the facility, heading for the next section that had a supposed weakness, the gym’s bathroom.

Brath was joking about how he hoped that there were enough riders left for them to catch them in the shower. Alex had to cut him off. “Do you know how unbelievably creepy that sounds?” she asked. “Pervy little gnome trying to check out girls in the shower?”

Brath’s eyebrows raised with confusion. “Girls?” he asked. “I’m not trying to see girls in the shower. I wanna see how tough the dudes are. You never get a real fight out of a gnome unless you’ve burst in on him in the shower. That’s the only way you get to see the fire.”

Alex turned to Gill and asked, “Is he serious?”

Gill nodded absentmindedly as he checked his HUD visor to make sure they were coming to the right spot. “Oh, yes, quite serious,” Gill replied. “It’s kind of a game they play, a cultural rite of passage. Of course, these ‘fights’ are meant to take place under waterfalls, but in the modern setting of Middang3ard, gnomes have expanded this to bathrooms and showers.”

Alex was confused. “A cultural thing, huh?” she muttered.

Gill nodded. “All our cultures are strange to others. A drow delicacy is live slugs. And humans love to bleed trees for their desserts.”

“Bleed trees?”

“Yes. I believe your kind call it maple syrup.”

“But maple syrup is delicious.”

Gill gave Alex a blank look. “It’s barbaric. The trees have no way to defend themselves.”

Alex shrugged as she looked into Gill’s eyes. The drow clearly thought the method for making maple syrup was barbaric, and not wanting the conversation to digress into a defense all of humanity for what they slathered on pancakes, she nodded in Brath’s direction. “I didn’t know that gnomes were so violent. Guess, I always thought that was more of a dwarfish thing.”

“Most people think that—until you meet a gnome. Then you realize they’re just balls of anger. Makes for interesting friendships, to say the least.”

Alex looked at Brath, who was marching along the side of the wall. “Yeah, I imagine it probably does,” she mused.

Gill tapped the side of his visor, opening Jollies’ channel. “Hey, how’s it coming so far? Are you closing in on the war room?”

Jollies’ voice crackled over the headsets of the entire team. “Getting closer. And I haven’t come across anyone so far. I think that we might be in the clear. How about you guys?”

“Looks like we’re in the clear right now. Nothing—”

Gill stopped talking abruptly. Up ahead, Brath had stopped and was holding up his right hand in a fist, signaling that there was an enemy up ahead. Gill had been right in deciding to take the long route. It would have been foolish to assume the entire facility had been vacated.

Brath joined up with the rest of the team as they moved back. Gill whispered to Jollies, “Be careful, there are definitely people still in the building.”

“Got it,” Jollies replied. “I’m going dark.”

The comm cut out, and the larger portion of Team Boundless moved farther back to plan how they were going to deal with the situation. “We gotta take them out,” Brath said. “That’s the only way that we’re getting past them.”

Gill shook his head as he pulled up his visor. “I don’t think that is the wisest choice. There could be more than we’re expecting. Also, we might face more extreme consequences.”

Alex impatiently squirmed. “How much time do we have on that, anyway?” she asked. “That simulation isn’t going to last forever.”

“You’re right. Let me check. Hmm, it looks like we’ve got a little over half an hour. They still haven’t reached the coordinates the simulation is broadcasting.”

“What’s the best plan of action? We could get in serious trouble for attacking someone, but I don’t know how we’re going to talk our way into getting in there.”

Brath puffed his chest out and slammed his fist to it. “I got this. You guys don’t need to worry about anything. They don’t call me Bronze-tongue Brath for nothing.”

Alex raised her eyebrow and asked, “Isn’t it usually silver or gold tongue?”

“Well, yeah. I’m not the greatest, but I’m a hell of a lot more charismatic than you chumps. Hold on and watch me work my magic.”

Before anyone could stop him, Brath walked in the direction of the soldier. Alex hit her face with her palm as she shook her head, and the rest of the team watched. “He really thinks he’s the charming one of the group,” she muttered.

Brath walked up to the guard and cleared his throat. The guard jumped when the gnome suddenly appeared. “Uh…” the guard said. “Can I help you with something?”

“Yeah, you can,” Brath answered. “There’s a coolant leak in the basement, and I’ve been trying to get on the horn with someone. I can’t seem to find anybody, but if that leak keeps on going, this whole place is going to lose power.”

The guard looked around as if he were going to magically find a senior officer. Brath grunted as the officer tried to figure out what to do. “Yeah, that’s what I’ve been saying,” Brath whined. “I can’t find anybody. It’s like they all went out to lunch or something.”

The guard nodded in agreement. “There’s an attack, reinforcements for that troll party that got taken care of a little bit back. All hands on deck. There’s probably only six or seven of us here right now. Not even a skeleton crew.”

“Well, guess that means you six are going to have to take care of that leak. Otherwise, by the time everyone gets back, this place might have already blown sky-high.”

“It’s that bad?”

“That bad.”

Brath pulled up his HUD and scrolled through his inventory until he found a book. He selected it, and the book materialized in his hand. He handed it to the guard. “This here’ll show you anything you need to know about coolant leaks. You take care of this, you’ll be a hero. Definite promotion.”

The guard took the book and looked it over. “Hey, if you know so much about leaks, why don’t you take care of it?” he asked.

Brath shook his head as he tapped his noggin. “Would if I could, but this isn’t the only leak I’ve found. I have to keep checking. All I’m saying is I need a hand because I’m not going to be able to patch everything up. I’m just a diagnostics guy.”

“All right, all right. Makes sense. I’ll get the rest of the guys together and go take care of this. If you run across any other leaks, let us know. Don’t want this place falling apart while everyone is out.”

The guard walked down the hall as he radioed for the rest of the guards in the facility. Once Brath was certain the guard was out of earshot, he went around the corner and motioned for the rest of the team to come forward.

Alex silently clapped her hands before patting Brath on the back. “I would never have thought you were the one who’d have the gift of gab. I’d upgrade you from bronze to silver.”

Brath took a quick bow, his smile a little less smug than usual. The gnome looked like he was genuinely happy with the compliment. “Nice thing about being a gnome is when you start rattling off mechanical jargon, everyone takes your word. Everyone assumes we’re always working on their crap.”

Gill pointed down the hallway and said, “Come on, this way to the stables.”

Brath and the rest of Team Boundless went running down the halls toward the stables, hoping to get there before anyone noticed them, Gill checking his map every couple of seconds just to make sure they didn’t run into anyone.

Finally, they arrived at the stables. Alex opened the door, and they stepped through. Her heart sank as she saw the state they were in.

Chapter Four

The stables were nothing like those in the Wasp’s Nest. These seemed to be in complete disrepair. It was hard to tell the last time a dragon had been in the place.

Computer equipment was torn up, and there were cables and internal mechanical pieces all over the floor. It looked like a bomb had gone off inside a massive computer. Alex wasn’t certain how she was going to make heads or tails of what to do for Chine.

She had a very limited idea of what changing equipment and maintenance was going to be like. Alex had only seen the equipment attached before. She hadn’t gotten to the part of training where she was taught how to detach anything.

Boundless wandered around the stables. All the other members looked confused by the state of the stables as well. “Isn’t this a dragonriders’ facility?” Jim wondered out loud. “How the hell do they take care of their dragons with everything so…busted up?”

Brath leaned over the side of the area that the dragons were usually kept. It didn’t look like anything had been there for some time. “Maybe they don’t have any dragons,” Brath suggested. “This place looks like it hasn’t been used for years.”

Alex tapped one of the computers and then hit its power button. The machine remained off. “That’s probably why they aren’t mounting a rescue party for Roy and Toppinir—they don’t have the resources. I thought they were just being jerks. How did this happen?”

Gill sat down in the control center of the stables. “No idea, but it isn’t good. It couldn’t have been funding. Myrddin has a nearly infinite budget. Perks of being an alchemist. Whatever happened here must have been something else. Who knows? We should focus on our situation.”

“You’re right. Let’s get this sorted out.”

Alex reached out telepathically to Chine. Where are you guys?

A mighty roar ripped through the air. Alex looked up at the opening in the ceiling. The dragons were flying overhead. They zoomed down into the stables, gracefully separating and taking up residence in the augment section of the stables. “Gill, can you get this stuff back online?” Alex asked.

Gill took a look at the main computer of the control center and sighed. “Yeah, I probably can. Might take a bit of time, but I’ll get it running.”

Alex hit her comm and patched to Jollies. “Hey, girl, how’s the search going?” she asked.

Jollies’ voice came through the comm, frantic and panicked. “I’m in the war room, but there isn’t a holograph. I can’t find it. I’m going to fail the only mission I have!”

“Hey, hey, calm down. Hold on; we’ll figure this out.”

Alex ran over to Chine and jumped down into his resting spot. The dragon rose when he saw her. Hey, Chine, can you do me a favor?

Chine stretched out his wings slowly as he nodded. What do you need?

Jollies’ eyes. She’s having a hard time finding what she’s looking for. Maybe if she had an extra set of eyes, it could help her out.

Chine closed his eyes, and Alex took that as a yes. She came over to the dragon, sat down beneath his wings, and closed her eyes.

Alex felt a tickling behind her eyeballs, a soft scratching like something was moving around in the back of her skull. When she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the stables. Everything around her was moving very fast—far too fast to make any sense of it. “Hey, Jollies, slow down,” Alex shouted.

Jollies froze, or at least, Alex thought that she had stopped moving. Alex’s viewpoint had at least stopped moving. “Uh, Alex?” Jollies asked.

“Don’t worry about anything. I’m just looking through your eyes so I can give you a hand finding the holograph map. That’s all.”

“Wait, you’re looking through my eyes? How many fingers am I holding up?”

Alex couldn’t see Jollies’ fingers and chuckled. “Jollies, you have to look at your fingers for me to see them.”

Jollies laughed nervously and said, “Oh, okay.” She raised her hand in front of her eyes, holding up three fingers.

“Three fingers. Now can we get started? And fly slow. I’m not used to looking through your eyes.”

Jollies started to fly around the room, moving slower. “This is so weird,” Jollies admitted. “Are you in my head or something? Can you read my mind?”

“No, I’m just seeing through your eyes. It’s a psychic link, but I don’t think I can read your mind or anything like that.”

Chine’s thoughts broke through Alex’s. Not yet, but with practice, your psychic powers might be as strong as mine one day.

Alex did a double-take, switching back to her own eyes for a moment so she could see Chine. Wait, what? Are you saying I have psychic powers?

Didn’t Myrddin tell you? That’s why our connection is so strong. The spell Myrddin crafted for you was not merely new eyes. It’s a psychic link, which means you have psychic powers. The beginnings, at least. They need to be worked, like a muscle.

Alex was giddy about the idea, but she figured she’d come back to that later. The mission needed to be their priority. “All right, Jollies, we’re looking for a giant holomap. Can you take a look around so I can get a better view?”

Jollies and Alex slowly scanned the war room. Like the stables, the war room looked like it hadn’t been used much in ages. What had happened to this facility?

It was obvious where the holographic map was supposed to be. There was a large platform in the middle of the room where it would have been projected. It would have been easy for everyone in the room to see it from that vantage point.

“That’s where it should be,” Alex said. “That spot right there.”

Jollies flew to the platform and looked around, taking her time when Alex reminded the pixie that she needed to concentrate on not moving too fast. Alex could see the spot had been outfitted for a projection. “Hey, Jollies, can you test the lights in the room?”

Jollies replied, “Sure,” as she zoomed over to the light switch on the wall. She flipped the switch. The lights remained off.

Alex switched back to her own eyes, jumped up, and leaped back into the main section of the stables. “Hey! Gill! Is the electricity running to this room?”

Gill whirled around from the computer he was tinkering with. “Let me check,” he replied as he pulled up his HUD visor. After a couple of seconds, he pushed his visor back down and said, “Nope! It looks like most of the power’s being routed to other parts of the facility.”

“Route the power back to this room and to the war room. That should fix Jollies’ problem, at least.”

Gill flashed Alex a thumbs-up and started messing around on his dragon anchor. After a couple of seconds, the power cut back on, and the lights turned on in the stables.

Alex closed her eyes and concentrated until she felt the tickle in the back of her head. When she opened her eyes, she was seeing through Jollies’ eyes, and she was looking at a bright green holographic map. “Perfect,” Alex said. “Jollies, can you upload the map to your dragon anchor? Along with any important information?”

Jollies nodded, disorienting Alex. “Yeah, I can manage that.”

“Let me know if you have any more problems. Head back to the stables after you get it.”

Alex returned to her own vision. “All right, Jollies has the map,” Alex told everyone. “Now all we have to do is get these dragons taken care of. How are things going, Gill?”

Gill stood up from the computer system, sighing and shaking his head. His face looked grim. “Not good. Even with power routed to the stables, we aren’t going to have enough to get any of the augment stations working.”

“Can you explain what that means in English?”

Gill jumped down onto the main platform of the stables. “It means we can remove what we’ve put on our dragons, but we aren’t going to be able to replace the weapons—and that creates a problem. The longer those augments are on are dragons, the more damage there’s going to be.”

“Wait, what? I thought if we did the maintenance, it wasn’t going—”

“That’s not how it works. The augments aren’t meant to stay on for extended periods of time. That’s why you have to do maintenance.”

Alex threw her hands up in frustration as she paced. “Okay, Gill, I’m hearing a lot of problems, but I’m not hearing any solutions,” she moaned. “I just don’t know enough about this stuff.”

Gill placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder and smiled at her reassuringly. “We aren’t screwed,” he said. “The power’s back on. We can still take care of the dragons, and I’ll work at seeing if I can get any more systems back online. Until then, though, you’re going to have to get your hands dirty.”

The rest of the dragonriders had come over to Alex and Gill. As Gill was preparing to speak, Jollies rushed through the door, almost flying into Alex’s face. “I got the map!” she squeaked.

Alex gave Jollies a high five and said, “That’s great,” as Gill cleared his throat to speak. “Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to steal your thunder,” Alex apologized.

Gill replied, “You didn’t. And it wasn’t going to be an exciting statement. Have any of you performed maintenance on your dragons before?”

None of the team said anything. Gill sighed. “Have any of you read through the manual on performing maintenance? Did any of you do any research after our initial lessons?”

More silence. Brath awkwardly coughed, which only made the silence more uncomfortable. “All right,” Gill went on. “It’s going to be pretty simple. You’re going to use your dragon anchors to drain the draconian fluid from where the augments rest on your dragon’s skin. The fluid will be stored in your anchor. The fluid has a myriad of different—”

Alex interrupted Gill, saying, “Uh, do we really need the science lesson right now? How about you give us the CliffsNotes so we can get up and running.”

Gill nodded and continued, “All right, you’re going to drain the fluid, store it in your anchor, and reattach the augments. If I can get the system going, we’ll put some new ones on, but it’s unnecessary. They’ll be good after being drained. We should get to it.”

The riders split up, looking for their dragons in the stables, which didn’t take long. Alex jumped down into Chine’s holding area and reached out to his mind. So, you know the drill, right? she asked.

Chine raised his wings as he stood, allowing Alex easier access to his chest and claw augments. Ah, yes, my favorite part of my service to the realms—being taken care of and groomed like common livestock.

Alex approached Chine and stood in front of his chest. She looked down at her dragon anchor, uncertain of how she was going to detach Chine’s armor and how she was going to scoop out the draconian fluid.

Waiting was unnecessary, though, because Alex’s dragon anchor began to glow the same color as the flashing green light on Chine’s chest piece. Alex reached out to the blinking light.

The chest piece contorted, plates of steel rolling back. It was the same kind of nano-tech Alex’s armor was made from. The chest piece created a hole the size of Alex’s wrist. “I put my hand in there?” Alex asked.

Chine nodded as Alex curled her bottom lip. “Am I putting my hand…in you?” Alex asked.

“Yes, into my chest. It’s the easiest way to drain my fluids. It’ll allow the augment to continue sitting there without my blood burning and searing the piece to my flesh.”

“Jeez, sounds terrible.”

“The first generation of dragons sacrificed a lot so we’d have the technology we do today. Their sacrifices should never be forgotten.”

Alex took a deep breath and plunged her hand into Chine’s chest. The dragon winced as Alex felt her dragon anchor start to warm up. It went quickly from warm to searing. Alex almost screamed in pain, and the dragon growled under his breath.

If she hadn’t been so concerned with Chine’s well-being, she would have pulled her arm out as soon as it had started to get uncomfortable. But this was necessary to keep Chine’s blood from melting the armor into his skin. This was her part.

Alex could feel the heat traveling from her skin to her bone. It felt like her entire skeleton was catching on fire. And then it was suddenly gone. She pulled her anchor out, and the chest augment settled back into place.

Chine shook his wings and huffed out a cloud of black smoke. “Just five more times,” he grumbled. “Save the neck anchor for last. It’s the most painful.”

Alex nodded as she got started, working her way through each anchor, draining the draconian fluid. Her skin took fire, then her bones, the heat boiling up in her body to such a degree she felt like she was aflame on the inside. Then, just as quickly as it started, nothing.

After she had drained all of the lower augments, she climbed up on top of Chine and raised her hand above his anchor. Her anchor and the dragon’s started to blink in rhythm, then a hole opened up on his back. Alex knelt and plunged her arm into it.

Chine let out a roar of pain as he flinched. Alex felt the fire shoot up her arm, faster than it had before. Flames were burning behind her eyes. There was no feeling in her arm. It was as if it had been dissolved. Then Alex felt her arm being forced out of the hole.

Skin and scales grew over the wound until the nanotech covered everything. Alex leaped off Chine’s back as the dragon reached up and stretched. “Glad that’s finally over,” he said. “Now we just need to wait for the rest of them.

Alex took a seat next to him. She felt sick to her stomach, and the world went black at the edge of her vision. Even though she fought it, she slipped into a deep sleep.

Chapter Five

Alex felt like she’d been sleeping for a lifetime, but when she woke up, hardly any time had passed. Chine had nudged her awake, and now she lay staring at the sky through the open ceiling of the stables. What happened? Alex asked.

The dragon curled his tail around Alex to prop her up. A side effect of our mental link, your latent psychic abilities, and the draconian fluid.

You know, just because you’re using words, it doesn’t mean you’re making sense. How about we try again, but you assume I don’t know how any of that works?

Chine chuckled before he started speaking again. The anchor has to do something with the fluid. It recirculates through your body and processes it as waste. But there are some riders who have different effects. You seem to be one of them. And that means the draconian fluid, or dragon’s blood, as it should properly be called, makes you stronger, akin to the dragon-blooded of old. You might be the closest we’ve had to one in a long while, but don’t let it go to your head. It just means our bond will be stronger.”

Alex yawned as she stretched, still trying to shake off her sudden sleep. Well, that’s good to know, I guess. How’s everyone else finishing up?

Chine reached out telepathically to the rest of the dragons, and after a few moments, told Alex all the dragonriders had finished their maintenance. Jim had finished working on his mech a while ago. “Okay,” Alex said. “Guess it’s time to get moving.”

Alex walked out of Chine’s area and approached Gill, who was still tinkering with the central computer system. “No luck getting it online?” Alex asked.

Gill turned to face Alex. He looked exhausted. Apparently, the maintenance process had been hard on him, too. For all his book knowledge, the drow had been unprepared for the reality of taking care of their dragons. “No, not the entire system, but I was able to glean more information from the system using the map Jollies brought. Our coordinates are all entered and updated to our links.”

Jim, Brath, and Jollies walked up to Alex and Gill, looking pretty beat. It would have been nice to have a moment for everyone to catch their breath. Jim was the only one who looked ready to go, but he was the only one who didn’t have to process the dragons’ blood.

Alex sat down next to Gill. “Maybe we should all just chill for a little—”

An alarm blared through the stables as the power came back on. Bright red lights flashed as a voice shouted over the intercom, “Intruders! Intruders! The stables are compromised. Security on the way.”

Gill leaned over the computer, trying to see what could have tripped the alarm. “Damn it,” he muttered. “I must have brought the security system back on when I was going through the map.”

“Well, forget chilling, then! We need to ride!”

Team Boundless each went to their own dragon. Alex leaped down into Chine’s stables, landed on his back, raised her anchor, and then they were off, soaring into the sky as the alarms blared behind them.

Alex looked over her shoulder, giddy with the fright of having almost been caught. “Hell, yeah!” she exclaimed. “Guess your plan went off without a hitch, Gill! Dude, you are a freakin’ miracle.”

Gill, who was flying beside Alex, smiled softly as he nodded. “Thank you. It is appreciated.”

Brath groaned loudly enough to be heard over the wind and without the comm. “You two could use a private channel, you know,” Brath suggested.

A laser beam shot past Alex, burning a little bit of her hair. “Holy crap!” she shouted as she turned.

A horde of drones was pouring out of the stables, heading for the riders. The drones were nearly the size of a gnome, but it wasn’t their size that worried her. It was the sheer number of them. There seemed to be dozens.

Jim’s voice crackled over his older comm system. He was laughing as he spoke. “Looks like Gill the Nerd brought a hell storm on us,” he chided.

Gill laughed too. “If you can’t deal with a couple of drones, maybe you shouldn’t be riding with Boundless.”

Over the comm, Brath muttered, “Gods, you two should just get a room already. Alex, what’s the plan?”

Alex pointed to a nearby mountain range. “We can lose them in the mountains. Maybe not Jim, though. Jim, can you keep up with us if we hit top speed?”

He answered, “There’s no way I’m going to be able to match your speed. The mech is too slow.”

“Jollies, you and I are going to run a distraction. The rest of you, cover Jim and head to the mountains.”

Jollies flashed Alex a smile as the two of them peeled off from the rest of the riders, who sped toward the mountain range, making sure to slow down for Jim’s hulking dragon mech.

Alex and Jollies went straight for the drones, using their superior speed to weave out of the way of the lasers. The drones seemed to take a long time to lock onto a target, especially if the target was moving. Alex didn’t need to say anything to Jollies. The pixie zipped and zoomed as fast as she could.

They were still a good distance from the drones, and the air was already beginning to thicken with heat from the lasers. “Do you think we’re going to get busted for this?” Jollies shouted.

Alex swerved to the left, barely avoiding a missile that had flown at her. “If we survive this, we might be in a little bit of trouble,” She laughed.

“You have a really bad habit of getting involved in suicide missions.”

Chine pulled up, absorbing one of the lasers with his chest piece before launching an ether fire ball at the drone that had made the mistake of hitting him. “You know, I’m pretty sure we’ve been on a suicide mission since we first got here,” Alex said. “At least we chose this one.”

Alex and Jollies dived farther into the exploding field of lasers and drones. They were close enough now so the drones were having an even harder time aiming. The drones had been built for long-range combat, and the closer the riders got, the less effective the devices became.

Heading toward the mountain range might not have been the best idea, in hindsight. It would give the drones the advantage. Further, it would funnel the drones into a tight space with the riders, making the range a shooting gallery for whoever got lucky.

Alex determined that it was going to be the riders. She just had to figure out how to ensure they had the advantage.

A drone larger than the rest broke away from the swarm. It was covered in multiple sensors and eyes. The drone did not attack, just popped out of the swarm and watched. “I don’t like the look of that thing,” Alex shouted. “Jollies, can you handle it?”

Jollies didn’t answer but surged forward, working her way around the other drones with a skill far beyond her years and stopping abruptly in front of the drone. She aimed her dragon anchor, and Timber let loose a crack of lightning that split the drone in half.

Alex was flying through the swarm now, the drones trying to figure out the best way to attack. There didn’t seem to be one. Chine was tearing through the drones, and Alex had pulled out her scythe to help cut them down. However, the drones kept coming.

Jollies and Alex pulled up out of the swarm, flying backward so they could keep an eye on the drones. The devices seemed to have lost interest in the other riders. That was good news.

Then the drones did something that alarmed Alex greatly. The drones all stopped together. It was as if they had all received the same order and responded to it at precisely the same time. The drones stayed perfectly still, their red eyes blinking like a stalling computer.

Alex leaned over Chine’s neck to get a better look. “This isn’t good. I’ve seen this happen before; I just don’t know where. But I’ve seen this. I know I have.”

Then it clicked. It was the same uniform movement Alex had seen with her dragon armor. The drones were starting to move like nanotech. That was a very bad thing.

As if the drones were reading Alex’s mind, they melded together, pressing against each other so tightly you couldn’t see where one drone ended and the next began. They formed a complex chain of robot bodies, taking the shape of a cobra.

The drone snake was easily twice the size of Chine. The only dragon on Team Boundless large enough to deal with the drone cobra was Furi, but he was too far ahead with Jim and the rest.

Alex didn’t need to tell Chine what to do. The dragon had already picked it up. He fired another fireball as he retreated, heading toward the mountain range, Jollies racing at his side. Can’t say I’ve seen that before, Chine murmured.

Alex chuckled. Really? Aren’t you dragons supposed to have seen it all by now?

I am still young and new to battle. This is a first.

Alex always forgot Chine was still considered to be a young dragon and didn’t have much combat experience. Sometimes he said things that made Alex think he was as green as she was, but his combat skills suggested otherwise. Maybe dragons were born with an innate understanding of fighting.

Jollies and Alex raced toward the mountain range. Alex tried to reach the other riders by comm, but there must have been too much distance between them, or the drones were blocking the transmission. At this point, it didn’t matter.

The pressing issue was the giant nanotech cobra hissing and shooting lasers at Jollies and Alex.

Going into the mountain range was an almost guaranteed death trap now. When the drones were just a horde, they would have been easy enough to scatter. Now that they had formed a whole creature, they seemed to have grown bolder and more aggressive.

On top of that issue, if there were any cracks in the mountain range Team Boundless could have exploited, they would be useless now. The drone cobra was too large. It would dominate the space.

Alex couldn’t think of a reasonable course of action, other than linking back up with the rest of the team. So far, Alex’s usual plan was to attack and hope things worked themselves out. This time, it was obvious attacking the techno-cobra was not going to work out.

Alex’s comm started to buzz and she flipped up her HUD to see who it was. Manny’s unhappy eyes met hers. “I do not have time for this right now,” she muttered as she hung up on Manny.

He’s probably just going to tell me in a thousand different ways how I should have stayed at the facility. And I do not have time for that.

The techno-cobra let out a roar that reminded Alex she did not have time to talk to Manny. As she looked over her shoulder, she could see it opening its mouth, a bright red light glowing in the back of its throat. “It’s charging for a blast!” Alex shouted.

Jollies and Alex broke away from each other as a laser blast seared past them, carving a gash into the side of the mountains ahead. “That thing is no joke!” Jollies shouted.

Alex pointed up and started to ascend, heading straight into the clouds. Jollies followed her as she patched into Gill. “Hey! Hypothetically speaking, if there were a giant nanotech snake following us, would you have any idea how to disable it?” she asked.

Gill’s voice crackled over the comm. “Hypothetically speaking, Jim should have an EMP device in his dragon mech that would disable any electronics that aren’t dragon-forged,” he answered.

“Is that true, Jim?”

Jim replied confidently, “Yeah, I have a couple of EMP devices. A bomb, even. The mechs come outfitted with a dozen different EMP weapons.”

“Are you ready to play the hero today?”

“I was born ready.”

Chapter Six

Alex and Jollies rose higher as the cobra followed on their tails. They were biding their time, trying to put some space between themselves and the cobra while Jim told them his coordinates.

Surprisingly, the rest of the team had found an almost invisible cavern in one of the mountains. Brath had had the great idea of hiding there for an ambush.

The only problem was, Jollies and Alex needed enough space between them and the nanotech cobra so they could surprise the machine creature.

A laser blast tore past Alex, who pulled hard to the left on Chine, swinging up higher to avoid the blast. “Are we getting any farther ahead of them?” Alex shouted.

Jollies checked over her shoulder and shook her head. “It looks like it’s gaining on us,” Jollies replied. “Oh, wait! I have an idea. Gill said an EMP would disable them, right? Amber can create her own electromagnetism. Hold on!”

Jollies started to weave back and forth in front of Alex. Every couple of seconds, Amber would drop what looked like a small glowing ball. Every so often, a crack of lightning would snap around the ball—tiny EMP grenades.

As the techno-cobra sped after the dragonriders, it bumped into the first mini-EMP grenade. The grenade went off, sending a chain reaction of exploding EMPs through the sky.

The techno-cobra shrieked in what sounded like pain as its body started to come apart. Drones flew in different directions, confused by the energy coming off the grenades. Their communication was severed. It would take some time to re-establish a link.

Jollies and Alex flew down under the clouds as fast as they could toward the coordinates of the rest of the team. They sped through the mountains until they found the cavern where the team was huddled.

The cave was a huge gash in a slope, with enough space to fit at least two more full-sized dragons. Chine and Amber were easily able to fit into the remaining space. There was even enough room for the riders to walk around beneath their dragons.

As Alex leaped off Chine, Jim’s mechanical mech moved toward the lip of the gash and plopped down. The back opened up, and Jim pulled himself out of the mech. Gill came up and gave Jim a hand climbing down from the mech. “And now for the final touch,” Gill said.

Timber turned around so his tail was facing out toward the other mountains. He spread his wings over the gap, blocking out the light, so only a little bit got through. Then his scales shimmered and changed color and texture to that of the mountain.

Team Boundless was completely camouflaged from the outside. Even to a drone, they would look the same as the mountain’s slopes. Now all they had to do was wait for the drones to come through. “Wait, Jollies and I lost them. How do we know they’re coming?” Alex asked.

Jim jerked his thumb at his mech. “We figured out how they were tracking us,” Jim said. “All mech riders have a transponder on their rig. Mine’s no different. Unfortunately, it isn’t something we’re told. Guess they think we might run off on some stupid mission with them.”

“And they send drones after you to kill you?”

“Probably not. We all saw that facility wasn’t up to snuff. It’s probably a malfunction. Murder seems a little extreme for a joyride. Either way, Gill and Brath helped me cut out the transponder. We’re still leaving it running for a little bit to draw the drones in, then Gill’s got something planned for it.”

Gill had gone to sit down on a rock, folding one leg over the other. He closed his eyes as he meditated. Alex wanted to ask him what he was planning, but once Gill closed his eyes, he was dead to the world until he opened them.

Jollies landed on Alex’s shoulder as she walked over to Brath and took a seat beside him. “How are you holding up?” she asked.

Brath forced a smile from beneath his beard. “It feels weird to be disobeying orders like this,” Brath admitted. “I mean, you’d think they would want us to help them instead of trying to shove us in the barracks.”

Alex shrugged. “They just don’t know what we’re capable of,” she said. “People tend to underestimate me, don’t you think?”

Brath nodded as Alex winked at him and laughed. “Yeah,” the gnome said. “I have firsthand experience of that. So, what, we just wait here forever?”

“Better than being out there, hunted by that freaky cobra thing. Trust me, you’d rather be bored for a little bit than have to deal with that.”

Team Boundless waited, occasionally standing and stretching, walking back and forth to kill time. Gill was the only one who didn’t seem bothered. Everyone else, especially Alex, looked ready to come out of their skin.

Because of Timber’s cloaking, the team wasn’t able to check if the drones were coming. All they could do was look at Jim’s computer system, the blinking green lights in a green graph. Something was coming, at least, but only Jim really knew how far away it was at the moment.

Alex wandered over to where Chine was relaxing, plopped down next to him, and curled up under his wing. I haven’t heard you complain about how bored you are in a whole day, the dragon joked.

Chine’s scales rose and settled back down as Alex nuzzled up closer. I’m trying to get better about that. It makes it harder for everyone else if I’m complaining all the time too. Waiting shouldn’t be torture. I mean, look at Gill.”

The dragon raised his head and looked across the snug hiding spot at Gill, who was now meditating on top of Timber’s head. He chuckled. Patient dragon. That would drive me crazy.

So, does everyone talk to their dragon as much as I talk to you? It’s kinda weird—you know, everyone sitting in a room quietly, having conversations no one can hear.

Chine absentmindedly clawed at the ground underneath him. The older dragons used to speak aloud. Their language was of the elements. That’s all breathing fire is—speaking the old tongue. We young ones, though, haven’t mastered the art. For us, speaking could accidentally kill you. Best to err on the side of caution.

Damn, you guys really are that powerful? Gets me thinking again. What the hell could the Dark One have that’s bigger and tougher than you dragons?

I do not know. No doubt, we will find out soon enough.

Alex’s comm went off, beeping loudly, potentially giving away their position. She covered it quickly and answered the call. It was Manny. “What do you want, Manny?” she hissed. “This isn’t the best time for me to talk.”

Before Manny spoke, Alex patched their conversation into the team channel. Gill opened his eyes as Jim, Brath, and Jollies walked over to Alex.

Manny was practically shouting at the top of his lungs. “I know it’s not a good time for you to be talking since I know you have a horde of drones after you! What were you thinking? Do you know how much trouble you’re going—”

“I don’t care how much trouble I’m getting into. Did you hear about Roy and Toppinir? Absolutely no backup, and they aren’t getting any unless we bring it to them.”

Manny sighed loudly, and Alex could imagine the look on his face. She’d seen it enough through Manny’s eyes. “Okay, I know it sounds bad, but they’re figuring something out. I still don’t know what it is, but they’re working on… Oh, I don’t know, Alex,” he admitted.

“I knew it!” Alex exclaimed. “You guys have no idea how to help them.”

“Wait, wait. I’m not the one in charge of planning anything. All I get is the information that‘s passed to me. They may have—”

“Manny, tell me the truth. Are they planning on saving Roy and Toppinir?”

Manny was silent for a long time, much longer than needed. Alex already knew the answer. She just wanted to hear Manny say it. “They aren’t planning on sending any backup,” Manny finally said. “Roy and Toppinir are too far into enemy territory. We’d lose tons of riders getting there.”

Alex crossed her arms, trying to remember she wasn’t angry with Manny. None of this was his fault. He was trying to look out for her and the whole team. His only mistake was caring about Alex. “That’s why we have to do this,” she explained, “I know we can get him out. I recognized where they are. From VR.”

“You have to be kidding me. You think you can save him because you remember an area from VR? Do you know how insane that sounds?”

“Not as insane as letting your two best dragonriders get killed by the Dark One.”

Manny laughed, which surprised Alex. “It’s almost as insane as letting our most promising new recruits throw their lives away on a suicide mission,” he countered.

“Good point. We’re still going. So, either help keep us alive or stop wasting our time.”

Manny sighed again, and Alex could have sworn he was going to hang up on her. “I wish your personality profile had mentioned how stubborn you are. I’ll call you if I find anything out that’ll help you. Be careful, Alex.”

“Thanks, Manny. You too.”

Gill leaped off Timber and joined the rest of the team around Alex. “Sounds straightforward enough.” The drow glowered. “They’re just planning on abandoning them.”

Jollies zipped around, shaking her head. “It’s not that simple. It’s a death mission. Oh, sorry, a suicide mission. You heard what Manny said. They’d lose too many people.”

Brath didn’t seem to care how many people would be lost. He was brooding underneath his beard. “It’s cowardly,” he finally spat. “Those two are practically heroes, and they’re just going to leave them.”

Jim rested his hand on Brath’s shoulder. “Roy’s my captain. Since I became a mech rider, all I’ve heard is how he and Toppinir are unstoppable. Myrddin probably thinks they’re going to pull their asses out of this like they always do.”

Brath pushed off Jim’s hand. “Have they come out of anything this bad before?”

Alex had to interject here. “Honestly, we don’t even know how bad it is,” she admitted. “I mean, we know that they say it’s a suicide mission, but we’re kinda scant on the details. Maybe Manny’s right. We’re flying in the dark here.

There was a loud beep, and Alex checked her HUD—a message from Manny. It read, “Big briefing in a few minutes about Roy and Toppinir. Find out if you can see anything. Be safe.”

Alex could read between the lines. More importantly, Manny thought this was worth supporting. She knew that if Manny didn’t think it was possible, he wouldn’t have bothered sending her this. It was a sign of faith—a pallid sign, but a sign nonetheless.

“Scratch that,” Alex said. “Manny’s with us. What else do you need?”

Jim’s mech started shrieking a beep three times louder than the one that had gone off on Alex’s HUD. “Obviously to pay attention to the swarm of drones heading toward us,” Jim shouted as he ran to his mech.

Jim jumped in and closed the cockpit behind him. The mech rose to its feet and lumbered over to the mouth of the cave. “Gill, I’m going to need a visual from you for when to fire,” he shouted.

Gill climbed onto Timber’s wing and poked his head out of the cave.

The swarm of drones had recombined into the nanotech cobra and it was heading right toward the cave. “Oh, I can see why you said this was a problem,” he murmured before returning to the cave and shouting, “Fire in five!”

Jim flipped through a couple of holographic menus in his mech before finding the manual switch for the EMP bomb. He flipped the switch and positioned his mech so its mouth was facing out of the cave.

As the swarm of drones flew past, Jim pulled the EMP lever and a glowing ball of electromagnetic energy flew out of the mech’s mouth into the middle of the swarm of drones. The bomb detonated instantly, and a pulse of energy rocked the drones.

There was no physical damage, but the drones shook for a second before shutting off and falling out of the sky.

Jim pulled his mech back into the cave. “I’ll now respond to either ‘hero’ or ‘savior of the day,’” he said, smiling as Gill gave him a high five and Brath scowled approvingly. “Whatever makes you feel more comfortable. I prefer ‘savior.’”

Alex punched Jim on the shoulder on her way to Chine. She didn’t want to make his head any bigger, though it was good to see him finally start acting like himself in front of the other riders. He was almost like the Jim she had played with in VR, if a little more serious.

Alex reached out telepathically to Chine. Hey, how strong can you boost my ability to see through someone else’s eyes?

Chine answered, Substantially. But you may not need my help. If you’re trying to reach Manny, you may be able to do it on your own.

How?

As I said, your psychic powers show potential. We should work on honing them. For now, concentrate on Manny. Try to imagine him in your mind’s eye. Once you can see him, focus on seeing through him, then open your eyes. But you must concentrate. Push everything else from your mind.

Alex closed her eyes. She pushed every thought in her head away. Ignored Gill’s cute butt. Tried not to think of Brath’s endless pacing, or whether or if Jollies felt comfortable around her. Forgot about her parents. Myrddin ceased to exist. The only thing in the universe was Manny’s eyes.

When Alex reopened her eyes, they were the foggy green of Manny’s. She watched what Manny watched, trying to memorize everything she saw. She let Manny’s many eyes flood her with information and concentrated on every moving thing. When Manny left the room, Alex closed her eyes and returned to her own sight.

Above, Brath had finally gotten tired of waiting. “All right, we should just go! We have the coordinates,” he complained.

Alex whistled for the attention of the other riders. “Oh, trust me, we’re going. But now I have a plan.”

Chapter Seven

Gill uploaded the coordinates Jollies had stolen from the facilities war room, and Team Boundless was off. Alex still hadn’t explained the plan to the rest of the team, but she knew what had to be done. She had seen what kind of fight they were headed toward through Manny’s eyes.

Every second spent talking and explaining was wasting time they needed. Alex just hoped she had the trust of her team. That was the most important thing at the moment. She hadn’t had much time to prove herself to them, but she didn’t think she’d disappointed them so far. Today wasn’t going to be any different.

Alex kept Team Boundless close to the ground as they flew away from the mountains, heading toward a green valley. Beyond the valley was a dying forest, trees gnarled and breaking apart, roots lifted from the ground, fighting for life.

Gill and Brath were having a hard time flying that close to the ground. Their dragon’s claws kept scraping it, slowing them down. Brath was getting audibly more annoyed, grumbling loudly and not bothering to turn his comm down.

Jollies and Jim, on the other hand, weren’t having a problem. Amber was small enough that it didn’t matter what height she was flying at; her speed was not affected. And Jim’s mech seemed to be able to take whatever you threw at it. The thing wasn’t fast, but it was stout.

Alex didn’t mind the closeness to the ground. She hadn’t noticed it, but she often took her flying skills for granted. It hadn’t crossed her mind that the other riders might have trouble staying so low without losing speed. That was something she’d have to keep in mind for the future. What good was trying to lead if you forgot about what everyone needed?

Brath’s voice broke through Alex’s musings. “Okay, I’m just going to say, this is idiotic,” he grumbled. “Why the hell are we staying so low? There’s a whole sky above us. And last time I checked, we were riding dragons, not horses.”

Gill sighed over the intercom. “For once, I am going to have to agree with Brath,” he joined in. “It makes no sense to be this low to the ground. We are moving slower and less efficiently.”

Alex countered, “Not everyone is moving slower. You two just need to concentrate and keep up.”

When Brath spoke, you could hear the sting in his voice. “’Just concentrate and keep up?’” he repeated. “Not all of us are riding micro-dragons. Furi is huge! Do you know how much it takes just to keep him from nosediving into the ground right now?”

“That’s not what, I mean, Brath. Sorry. I just meant, if you pay attention to—”

“Trust me, I’m friggin’ paying attention.”

Alex took a deep breath as she tried to find the right words. She was doing that thing where she got flustered and tried to explain herself. The right words just didn’t come.

In fact, they were the exact opposite; they were the wrong words. Most of the time, Alex felt like she could convey her thoughts and ideas to other people, but every so often, she started to stick her foot in her mouth and forgot how to pull it out.

“Just because you have some freakish gift and are an amazing rider who doesn’t have any problem doing anything other than impressing everyone around you—”

Brath had gone off the deep end. He was ranting faster than Alex could listen. Luckily, the rest of Boundless wasn’t patched into the channel because it would have been embarrassing for everyone. Brath was really letting her have it.

Part of Alex wanted to say that this tirade was just him being insecure—projecting his worries and fears onto her—but she knew that wasn’t true. This plan hadn’t considered anyone’s comfort or skill level other than her own. Brath had every right to be upset.

The best thing to do was listen—to hear him out and let the gnome get everything off of his chest. Hopefully, that wouldn’t take too long. Besides, they still had a ways to go.

Before they had left, Alex had gone over the map and its coordinates with the whole team. The initial route they had planned would have brought Boundless to Toppinir’s and Roy’s location within thirty minutes. It would have been a straight shot.

After seeing through Manny’s eyes, Alex thought it was a bad idea to take the direct route. She wanted to go a more roundabout way, maintaining that staying low was the most important thing, regardless of how long it was going to take.

Initially, everyone had thought it was a bad idea. After a few minutes of arguing, they still thought it was a bad idea, but it was Alex’s idea. They had decided to trust her.

Now Gill was pinging Alex on top of Brath. Alex told Brath to hold on and answered Gill. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“Why are you having us stay so low?” Gill asked. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Oh, my God, you too?”

“Would you prefer we follow you blindly? We’re a team, and I am not going to follow without being given a good reason.”

Gill had a point. Expecting everyone to listen to her without giving them a reason wasn’t the best idea. Alex had figured it would be a waste of time to go over every detail of her plan, but now, it seemed like at least two of her riders were doubting her judgment. “Okay, hold on, Gill,” Alex said before switching back to Brath, who was still ranting.

Alex combined Gill’s and Brath’s comms and then patched the rest of the team into the conversation. Brath continued ranting until he was breathless and panting. “Okay, Brath,” Alex said. “I’d prefer you didn’t use that language about me, but I can see you’re mad.”

Brath let out an exasperated shout. “You’re damn right, I’m mad. What the hell are we even doing?” he shouted.

Jim stepped in. “Just hold on, Brath. Alex is one of the best strategists I’ve ever played with. We can trust her.”

“That you’ve played with? Excuse me for remembering this is not a human VR game, and so far, all of Alex’s strategies, if you want to call them that have been, have been to rush in and try not to die.”

Alex was stung by Brath’s words. What came next hurt even more. “Brath has a point,” Gill seconded. “Many of Alex’s plans have relied on her extreme skill, placing the rest of us at risk if we couldn’t keep up. I’d like to know this isn’t another one of those.”

Jim chuckled as he shook his head. “Okay, guys, are you listening to yourselves? Alex has been doing great so far. That’s why we’re here right now.”

“Exactly. That is why we are riding into what could be a death trap with little or no understanding of our odds or why we are taking such an impractical route.”

The comm went silent. Gill’s cold logic was much more painful than Brath’s boisterous complaining. Gill had hit the nail dead on the head. Then a voice cut through the comm. It was Jollies. “That’s not true,” she squeaked.

Gill took a deep breath and said, “Please explain to me where my argument is faulty.”

“Alex has been making tough calls. She got us out of the Nest because she was willing to take risks. It has nothing to do with ignoring what we’re capable of. She’s willing to risk it all, and that’s what’s gotten us this far. And that’s what’s going to save Roy and Toppinir.”

No one replied. Alex was surprised and glad Jollies had spoken up. It was all Alex needed to be reminded of what she was doing. She was making a call, and it was the right one. “Trust me, guys,” Alex said. “I’m not going to ask you to do anything crazy.”

Brath scoffed and countered, “Anything crazier than what you’re already asking, right?”

“Right. Nothing crazier. Now come on. We’re getting closer. We need to focus.”

Alex took the lead, pushing Chine ahead of the others. The dragonriders followed, Jollies moving up toward the front with Alex. They looked at each other briefly, and Jollies smiled brightly. “Thanks, Jollies,” Alex said gratefully.

Jollies’ smile brightened as her body shimmered yellow. “No problem,” she said. “You see things we don’t. I get it.”

That was when Alex remembered Manny. He was close to where the action was happening. She mentally told Chine to keep going in the same direction as she closed her eyes and focused on seeing through Manny.

Alex slid into darkness for a second, but when she opened her eyes, she was seeing through Manny’s many eyes. She took the situation in. It was worse than she’d expected from her first viewing, but it wasn’t anything Boundless couldn’t handle.

Slipping back to her own eyes, Alex took the reins back from Chine and pointed to a hill in the distance. “Right over there. That’s where we’re going,” she told the other riders.

The dragonriders crested the hill in no time, and all of them stopped at the scene that unfolded before them. There were dozens of dragonriders in the sky fighting bats nearly the size of dragons with no visible riders.

The sky was blood-red, and the clouds were black. Jagged streaks of lightning flashed and thunder boomed. Above the clouds, there was a meteor that looked roughly the size of the Wasp’s Nest. Lightning was flying from the meteor, but there was something inside.

Gill wiped his eyes as Jim popped out of his cockpit. “What the hell is that thing?” Gill asked.

Alex pointed at the meteor. “That’s where we’re going. That’s what this whole battle is about.”

Jim looked at Alex, confused. “I thought they weren’t sending any reinforcements to get Roy and Toppinir?” he asked.

“Sort of. They couldn’t afford to send any more reinforcements. Myrddin’s been throwing everything he can at this battle. There’s just no one else left to go. That’s why we’re here.”

“You really think we’re going to change the tide?”

Alex nodded as she gritted her teeth. “It doesn’t take much to turn a storm into a hurricane. Come on.”

Alex sped upward, and the rest of the team followed her. As they were closing in, Brath said, “Shouldn’t we be going over there? That’s where the fight is. If they need help, that’s where they’re going to need it.”

Alex doubled down on Chine and sped up. “Not yet. Trust me. We’re going to get to the fight. Just not yet. There’s something else we have to take care of first. We have to get under it.”

“Under the meteor? Are you crazy?”

Alex didn’t respond and kept going. They were getting closer. She could smell sulfur in the air from the dragons and bats above. It was impossible to see who was winning, and she had no idea where Toppinir or Roy was, but she knew that meteor was the whole purpose of this mission.

Team Boundless was directly under it. “All right, now!” Alex shouted as she ascended, heading straight for the hunk of space rock. She zoomed in between dragons and bats who were fighting, not letting herself lose any speed.

The rest of the dragonriders were right behind her, Jim taking the rear and Gill staying next to him. They fired at any bats that tried to take advantage of Jim’s lack of maneuverability.

Team Boundless burst through the last dregs of the battle beneath them, heading straight for the falling meteor.

Chapter Eight

The meteor was still a couple of hundred feet from Team Boundless, and the battle raging beneath them was trying to fight its way up. Bats had seen the new dragonriders and disengaged to attack Boundless.

Alex did her best to avoid the bats, trying not to get distracted from the meteor. It was difficult, though. The bats were out for blood. Even with her speed, Alex still had to fall back a few times to blast bats who were getting too close.

It didn’t look like the bats had riders. They must have been creatures whose only purpose was to serve the Dark One.

At the rear, Jim was taking the most heat from the bats. Luckily, his mech was built for this kind of thing. He deployed his concussive shield, which created a barrier around him so bats hit him and fell away, like birds flying into a window.

Jollies was also doing her best to keep the bats away from the group. She flew, faster than the other dragons, in a circumference surrounding Boundless. As she circled them, Amber generated electricity, creating a sort of lightning cage to ward off the bats.

Brath flew up to Alex’s side. He didn’t look happy about what was going on, but Alex could tell the gnome was all in. You only took point if you were ready for whatever was coming.

When Alex had watched through Manny’s eyes, she had seen the meteor, but there had been something off about it. Manny’s eyes saw different spectrums of light and heat, as well as different planes of existence. There was something in that meteor that didn’t fit with the rest of reality.

In Manny’s sight, it had looked like flashes of red hot light came off of the meteor but only in one spot. Alex was willing to bet her life on that spot being the meteor’s weak point.

This was the same meteor Myrddin had shown Alex when she had first been recruited weeks ago. Alex and her parents had watched this meteor rocketing toward this realm. Myrddin had said it had the potential to turn the tides of the war. He’d said it was the most important campaign at the moment. There had to be a reason Myrddin had shown it to Alex.

Nothing the wizard ever did was without reason. Myrddin had made it a point to show that meteor to Alex. He had made it a point to choose Manny and his eyes to be paired up with this blind girl. And there had to be a reason Chine, with all of his psychic abilities, was bonded to Alex.

Alex raised her hand without thinking. It just felt like the right thing to do. And she slipped back into her mind, focusing on seeing through whatever eyes were within the meteor. She had to know this was more than just a hunch.

A sharp pain wracked Alex’s head. She felt nauseous and dizzy, and she stomped her foot down on Chine to make sure she was properly anchored. For a second, she had seen through eyes in the meteor. There was someone in there—someone who felt familiar. Someone who was waiting for something.

Alex pointed to the lower left quadrant of the meteor and shouted, “Concentrate all your fire on that spot on the left! All of it!”

Brath turned to Alex, his eyes wide with confusion. “Wait, you just want us to shoot at the rock? It’s too big! We’re not going to be able to make a dent in it. That thing could crush us!”

“Trust me, Brath! Please, just trust me.”

Brath stared at Alex as they approached the meteor. His beady eyes were hard to read. Alex couldn’t tell if he was thinking about cutting and running or something else. Finally, Brath turned back to the meteor, leaned forward, and went flying straight toward where Alex had been pointing.

Furi let out a tunnel of fire at the left section of the meteor. That fire was followed by Amber releasing lightning bolt after lightning bolt as Jim and Gill finally caught up. Timber fired as well, giant spires of rock flying from her mouth.

Jim hit the back thrusters on his mech and floated, completely stationary, as his mech’s missiles locked onto the corner of the meteor. He fired a volley of a dozen warheads that hit the rock, blowing off massive chunks that fell into the battle beneath them.

Chine shot a stream of ether fire as Alex held her breath, hoping she was right. All she knew was that there was something within the meteor.

The smoke began to clear. There was hardly a scratch on the surface of the meteor. No, Alex thought.

The dragonriders swooped back, putting more space between themselves and the meteor, which was still descending. “Was that it?” Brath asked. “We didn’t even put a dent in it!”

Jollies pointed at the meteor and squeaked, “No! We did! See?”

Alex’s eyes hyper-focused on the crust of the meteor. Jollies was right. The surface of the meteor was cracking. “Let’s hit it again!” Alex shouted. “This time with everything you got! And I mean everything!”

The dragonriders fired up their various offensive augments. “On my count,” Alex said. “One. Two. Three!”

The riders blasted out a hailstorm of flames, electricity, gravitational distortion, and missiles. The attacks landed, one after another, breaking into the crust of the meteor. Alex reached out, concentrating as hard as she could. She imagined the crust ripping apart, tearing open to show what was inside.

Alex felt some kind of force extend from her and grip the cracking mantle of the meteor. At first, she thought it was in her head, but then she felt that force grip the meteor hard. The force was coming from her and Chine—from their minds.

Chine and Alex telekinetically dug into the cracking meteor as the rest of the dragonriders continued to unleash hell on it. Alex screamed as her head started to pound, then the left section of the meteor ripped apart, completely separating from the rest.

The chunk of meteor fell through the sky, bursting into flames as if it were entering the atmosphere. Then it stopped falling, floating in the air before the dragonriders as the battle raged below. Intense heat shot out from it.

The dragonriders flew backward, putting more space between them and the piece of meteor. “Uh, was that part of the plan?” Brath asked shakily. “Is the meteor done now?”

Alex ignored Brath and concentrated on what was happening in front of her. Wave after wave of energy was flowing from the chunk. There was definitely something within it. They just had to wait and see what it was.

As if reading Alex’s mind, the meteor started to vibrate, shaking violently in the air. It cracked more, flashes of energy sparking beneath the cracks.

The top of the meteor began to bubble. Thick, black slime oozed from an opening hole like some sort of foul afterbirth. A pale hand pushed itself out from the hole, spreading the gap wider as another hand forced itself through.

As the hands touched the air, a black material appeared, wrapping them in shrouds. As more of the pale body forced itself from the meteor, the same material covered the thin, skeletal frame until Holmorth the Dark Wizard of Khaldor stood atop the meteor, his shifting face contorting as if he were only a memory in this reality.

Alex felt her blood boil as she tried to control her breath and stay calm. He was what was behind the meteor. It made perfect sense. Only something as evil as he was could want to be responsible for so many deaths.

Holmorth straightened to his full height, reaching down and unsheathing a wispy wand. “Ah, it seems as if we will dance once more,” he growled in his raspy voice. “I did not think I would have the chance to kill you all so soon. The gods must be smiling on me.”

Brath screamed something unintelligible, and Furi launched a firebolt at Holmorth. The wizard merely waved his wand and the fire disappeared around him. “You’re going to have to try much harder than that.”

Alex raised her hands and turned to Brath. “Hold on, hold on!” she said. “He’s more powerful than he was before. We can’t just attack and give him the advantage.”

“If he’s so powerful, why the hell is he monologuing?”

Alex thought the question through. “You’re right. He must be stalling for some reason,” she said. “Dragonriders, get ready to—”

Holmorth raised his wand and bowed slightly. “I am not stalling,” he hissed. “Merely playing with my food before the kill. If you are in such a rush to lose your lives, then by all means, let me oblige.”

Holmorth floated into the air, his wand raised high. As his feet left the meteor, the crust rapidly deteriorated. Beneath the crust was something foul, reeking of offal and decay, yet encased in what could only be a womb.

The membrane over the embryonic sac was pink and nearly transparent. An eye opened in the fluid, then the membrane burst and the rotting liquid fell to the ground, burning through whatever bat or dragonrider was in its way.

A creature old and horrible uncurled in the sky, its bony tail unwrapping to allow shredded and tattered wings to open. Its body was made of bone, its skin rotting. Maggots poured from its mouth, the undead dragon roaring loudly enough that those who fought below stopped to look up in horror.

Holmorth landed atop the dragon and laughed maniacally. “How does one kill what is already dead?” he taunted. “How does one slay what was born in the very fabric of reality, died, and returned anew, now evil?”

Jim’s voice came through on the comm. “That’s a really good question. How are we going to kill that thing?”

Alex responded, “I’m glad you’re on board with killing it.”

Brath was staring down Holmorth and the undead dragon. “Of course, we’re going to kill it,” he said. “Holmorth killed our friends in cold blood. We don’t have a choice. You hardly ever get a chance for revenge. Now we can make him feel every one of their deaths.”

Alex had been trying not to think about what had happened at the Wasp’s Nest. She didn’t want to think of the dead cadets, their bodies broken and mangled by the invasion Holmorth had led. But Brath was right. Innocent lives had been lost, children mostly, and it had been Holmorth’s doing.

Alex sized up the dragon as Holmorth stood gloating, rambling on about a new age of darkness or some other apocalyptic drivel. The undead dragon was easily twice the size of Furi. A straight-on fight was going to end up with all the riders dead. “We go low,” Alex suggested. “Back into the thick of the fight.”

Gill chuckled and said, “So, you’re opting for running this time? A bold new strategy.”

“Hey, you gotta try something new sometime,” Alex said as she leaned forward, sending Chine diving into the chaos. The rest of Team Boundless followed closely.

Chapter Nine

Team Boundless plunged deep into the battle, weaving between bats and other dragonriders with the undead dragon and Holmorth hot on their tails. Alex knew she was going to have to come up with something better than her current plan.

To be fair, the plan was working fairly well at the moment. The undead dragon was too large to maneuver through the flying bodies. It was more likely to hit a bat than to hit any other dragonriders since the dragonriders were so outnumbered.

As long as Alex could stay out of the undead dragon’s way, she would have time to figure out what needed to be done. Hey, Chine, anything I need to know about undead dragons?

His answer was hardly encouraging. Undead dragons are the eldest of all dragons. They are the progenitors of our race, extremely powerful. Even death could not hold them. Their own power brought many of them back to life.

Okay, but how do we kill it?

The same way you kill any dragon—beat it to death. There is only a little life left in its body. Extinguish the flame that burns within it, and the dragon will remain dead.

Now Alex could see the only flaw in her plan. If the undead dragon was incapable of attacking Team Boundless, the team couldn’t go after it that way either. There was too much going on for a straight-on attack. Whatever their next phase was going to be, it would have to be heavy on creativity. “Jollies, you read me?” Alex asked.

The pixie’s voice came through the comm crystal-clear. “Yep! You having an easy time dodging all these bats? I swear, I didn’t know there were this many bats in the world.”

“Not as easy a time as I wanted. I’m going to need you to come with me. We need to start whittling down Holmorth’s dragon, and see what Holmorth is capable of as well.”

“On it!”

Jollies came zooming through the battle from the other side. Amber and Jollies had speed that Alex couldn’t even dream of competing with, and it was that Alex needed at that moment.

Alex and Jollies turned back around, heading toward Holmorth. A group of bats flew at the two dragonriders. They were only able to narrowly pull away at the last minute as the bats sent sonic blasts toward them.

Jollies went low and Alex went high, Alex clearing a path with Chine’s ether flames. Once the bats were out of the way, the dragonriders continued toward Holmorth.

Holmorth was waving his wand above his head, lightning crackling from the tip like a whip as he lashed out at the dragonriders around him. He knocked two of them from their dragons and they plunged to the ground, screaming in pain.

Alex noticed lightning seemed to be coming off of the elder dragon’s body as well. Maybe Jollies wasn’t the best to bring along for this particular plan. “Hey, Jollies, is lightning the only element Amber can use?” Alex asked.

Jollies and Amber buzzed around Chine’s head. “No! I got an elemental switcher on her,” Jollies answered. “We can go with water, too.”

“Hm…water, huh? All right, Jollies, soak the bats directly around the dragon, okay?”

“On it!”

Jollies split away from Alex and started to circle the bats near Holmorth, drenching them in water while Alex occupied herself dodging the lightning attacks Holmorth was directing toward her. “You done yet, Jollies?” Alex shouted.

“Just about! All right, I got them all.”

“Good. Now light them up.”

Jollies ducked in and out of the bats, Amber’s body changing from the softness of liquid to the uncontrollable energy of lightning. A chain of lightning hit the bats surrounding Holmorth, creating a falling lightning cage.

Holmorth raised his wand, waving away the bats that were falling from above. While the wizard was distracted, Alex brought Chine close to the undead dragon’s jaw. His claws glowed bright white as he charged.

Chine slashed the undead dragon’s jaw, splitting the bone down the middle. The undead dragon recoiled, pulling backward as he unleashed a torrent of ether fire into its face. “Fall back,” Alex commanded. “Let’s see if we made a dent.”

Jollies and Alex backed away from the undead dragon as the rest of her team converged on them.

The undead dragon was roaring in pain—a terrifying noise—but it wasn’t going down. In all honesty, Alex hadn’t thought it was going to.

Holmorth raised his wand from atop the dragon and aimed it at Team Boundless. All of the bats around him broke off with the dragonriders they were fighting and flew toward Boundless. “At least we got his attention,” Jim said over the comm as he fired his missiles at the bats.

The rest of the riders took evasive maneuvers. Jim had the luxury of being able to tank. He was able to handle an onslaught of bats. All the riders with real dragons had to worry about them getting hurt.

Brath had the most trouble getting out of the way. He struggled to fly through the throngs of bats and dragonriders locked in combat. A bat came at him from the side, ramming into Furi and causing the dragon to spin in the air. Brath grabbed him and held on while the dragon righted himself.

Jollies easily managed to avoid getting hit, but she wasn’t in any position to help anyone around her. Gill had broken off with Alex, and the two of them were flying around Holmorth, preparing to flank him.

Holmorth spun to the right as Alex got behind him. He pointed his wand, and there was a flash of red light as a long, slimy tentacle reached out from it. It wrapped around Alex and lifted her in the air.

Alex screamed as she flew through the air, hitting a bat, bouncing off, and freefalling through the sky.

Gill took off after Alex, and as he turned, Holmorth’s dragon launched a fireball. It hit Timber in the back, scorching his wings. Timber faltered in the air, twisting, trying to spin to put the flames out.

Alex continued falling, reaching out for something grab, but there were no options. Chine swooped beneath her and Alex fell onto his back. She anchored herself to Chine and caught her breath. Holy crap! Let’s not do that again anytime soon.

Chine flew back up toward Gill. The dragon is powerful enough to sever our link. We need to be more careful, he suggested.

Yeah, I can see that. That thing almost blasted Gill out of the sky with one fireball.

Jim’s voice cut through on the comm. “Hey, I got an idea. Wanna give it a shot?”

Alex replied, “Sure, I’m all out of ideas.”

“All right. I’m going for it!”

Alex had a faint hint of what Jim was going to try. He knew the limitations of his mech as well as anyone else. He also knew its strengths.

Jim hit his thrusters and went full ahead, aiming at Holmorth. He fired his missiles as he cut a path through the bats in his way. His mech reached out its arms and grabbed the undead dragon’s throat, but Jim didn’t kill his thrusters. He kept pushing, forcing Holmorth out of the cover of the bats while reducing his dragon’s movement.

Alex pitched up and headed toward Jim and Holmorth. “All riders on me!” she shouted as the rest of Boundless raced toward her. “We’re surrounding this ass-wipe!”

Boundless surrounded Holmorth as Jim forced the wizard and his dragon completely out of the swarm of bats. The undead dragon was doing its best to get away, and the mech’s gears screamed in protest at the dragon’s strength.

Jollies went in for the first attack. She aimed at Holmorth, ignoring his dragon. He easily dispelled her first attack, but she had speed on her side. Amber bashed into Holmorth’s hand, knocking his wand away.

Next was Gill, swooping in from above as he fired spire after spire of crystals, peppering the undead dragon’s back. That was followed by Brath coming from below, Furi spitting fireballs.

Jim pulled away, his mech finally getting near its breaking point. He fired a cluster of missiles as he backed off, blanketing Holmorth in smoke.

Team Boundless waited for the smoke to disappear. Alex didn’t think Holmorth was down for the count yet. She remembered how much damage the wizard had caused in the Wasp’s Nest. There was no way he was done.

The smoke settled, and Alex was right. Holmorth and the dragon were still standing, albeit scratched up. The only difference Alex could see was that Holmorth’s face looked as if it were starting to settle. Maybe he realized he was in trouble.

Holmorth raised his hands to the sky and screamed as the wind began to whip around, tossing the dragonriders back and forth as a cyclone appeared out of nowhere. As the dragonriders tried to get clear of the twister, Holmorth leaned forward and plunged his hands into the undead dragon.

Bones rose from it and pierced Holmorth through the body, impaling his arms and his chest as he screamed in pain, his face becoming liquid and dripping onto the undead dragon’s back.

The wizard and the undead dragon began to fuse, bones popping out of Holmorth’s body as his torso grew larger, his legs melting into the undead dragon’s until it was impossible to see what was wizard and what was dragon.

Alex and the rest of the riders watched in horror as a dragon’s skull burst through Holmorth’s head, breathing fire as fireballs floated in the palm of his hands.

Brath laughed nervously and said, “Oh, this looks so much better for us than it did before.”

Alex couldn’t disagree. Then she heard Chine say, The wizard has made a dire mistake. He’s combined his life force with the undead dragon’s. That means you no longer have two enemies, you only have one. Whereas you and I are still two.

Alex smiled as recklessness made her heart pound. “All right, then I guess it’s time to do something stupid. Squad! Keep this freak busy. Time to end this!”

Holmorth roared and shot fire into the sky as he launched his fireballs at the riders. Alex wove past one, heading for Holmorth. She pulled her scythe from the ether and leaped onto the undead dragon’s back, staring at it. “Ready to dance?” she asked.

Chine tackled the undead dragon, grabbing its hands as Jim followed suit, punching its stomach as Jollies flew in and out of the path of its fire.

Brath was flying around the perimeter of the fight, burning through the bats trying to come to their master’s aid.

Alex stared at the abomination Holmorth had become. “If you aren’t, I am,” she said as she slammed her anchor to her chest, unleashing the cataclysm of stored draconian fluid. Her body burst into flames and she sprinted at Holmorth, leaping into the air, her scythe raised.

Holmorth reached out and swiped Alex away, slamming one of the fireballs into her.

Alex skidded across the surface of the undead dragon’s back, but the fireball didn’t do any damage. Instead, Alex had absorbed it, and her flames were even brighter than before. “Hell, yeah,” she shouted as she ran forward.

Holmorth swiped at Alex again, but this time Alex dodged, sliding underneath Holmorth’s hand. Chine! The gravity flux!

Chine activated his gravity-distorting augments. The effect spread and covered the entire undead dragon.

Alex’s feet lifted off its back. She suddenly realized she should have thought that command through; she was floating in the air without gravity. Holmorth, on the other hand, was tethered to his dragon. One life force, Alex thought to herself. And the dragon is barely alive. It’s got to be Holmorth.

Alex reached out and concentrated on the dragon’s throat. She envisioned her hand closing around it, choking the life from the creature.

Holmorth stretched his clawed hands toward Alex, who floated like easy prey.

Suddenly, Alex felt the grip. It was not Holmorth’s hand around her, but her mind around Holmorth’s throat. Alex pulled with everything she had.

Holmorth jerked toward Alex, dropping his fireballs and grabbing his throat. As Holmorth came toward her, she raised her scythe as high as she could. Then she brought it down on Holmorth’s head.

The scythe sank into his skull.

“Team Boundless! Unload on this thing!”

Team Boundless released the undead dragon, giving themselves space. Then they fired everything they had without mercy, unloading all of their ammunition into the dragon.

Alex pulled her scythe from Holmorth’s skull. The wizard’s face started to contort, sloping forward, his teeth falling out, his eyes boiling. He let out a low, pitiful moan.

Alex pressed her hand to Holmorth’s head. “This is for the Wasp’s Nest,” she whispered, focusing her thoughts in one place: the palm of her hand.

The back of Holmorth’s head exploded as his body burst into flames.

Alex fell and hit the back of the undead dragon’s back hard. All around her, the dragon was coming apart. She ran toward its wings and leaped off, mentally shouting, Chine!

Chine swooped down and caught Alex in his paw. Alex climbed his shoulder until she stood on his back.

Alex joined with the rest of the team, who were watching the battle that had taken place adjacent to them. The bats were falling from the sky as if someone had turned them off. “Jim, can you grab one of those?” Alex asked.

Jim flew out and grabbed one of the closest bats in his tractor beam. Gill went over to the bat to get a look at it. “You won’t believe this,” Gill said, “but it’s inorganic. I think it might be some kind of drone.”

Alex didn’t even want to think about that bit of information. “Okay, okay. Let’s just get on the ground. I think we’ve earned it.”

Chapter Ten

Alex and the rest of Team Boundless were the first ones on the ground out of the sky full of dragonriders. As soon as they touched down, Alex said, “All right, let’s get these dragons taken care of pronto!”

The riders jumped to it. The process was painful, but didn’t take nearly as long as it had the first time. Everyone was able to finish within ten minutes. It was important to Alex to make sure they took care of their companions as soon as possible.

Once the battle had ended, Alex couldn’t stop thinking about how much pain Chine must have been in. After seeing the undead dragon and what it had become with Holmorth, Alex realized things had to be different with her and Chine. Always.

He hardly winced during the maintenance, and once Alex was done, he stretched his wings and said, Thank you. I truly value your attentiveness. The riders above are still congratulating themselves on your victory.

Alex shrugged, trying not to let the compliment go to her head. Don’t worry about it. You’re important to me. We’re bonded. Gotta take care of my boy.”

Brath and Gill were walking over to Alex. “How the hell did you know about that thing?” Brath asked. “You knew exactly where to go and what to do. How?”

Alex laughed at Brath’s accusatory tone. “I looked through Manny’s eyes earlier. He didn’t know what he was looking at, and neither did I, but I knew it was important. So, I guess you both were right. I took another stupid risk.”

Gill shook his head as he rested his hand on Alex’s shoulder, causing her heart to try to rip out of her chest. “No, I should apologize,” he said softly. “I was out of line earlier. You’ve been doing an amazing job. And that up there…you were like a moving work of art.”

Alex stared at Gill, fairly certain she was going to faint. Gill’s cheeks turned pitch black, and he started blinking rapidly and cleared his throat as he said, “I meant, force of nature. Like a force of nature.”

Brath gave Gill a sideways glance and shook his head. “Uh, I wasn’t going to say all that, but it was pretty badass. I mean, really badass.”

Jollies and Jim joined the team as the dragons lumbered off on their own. “Couldn’t have done it without you guys,” Alex exclaimed. “You all were amazing. Can you believe any of that? I mean, Holmorth and the dragon and… I mean, jeez, it’s kinda a lot, right? Is it just me? It can’t just be me.”

Jollies flew over and took a seat on Alex’s shoulder. “No, it’s not just you,” she agreed. “The last few days have been out of control. I could never have imagined I’d fight an undead dragon, let alone blow one to pieces.”

Alex gently nudged Jollies’ chin. “Well, now you can cross that off your bucket list.”

The ground suddenly shook, and Alex spun around to see what was causing the commotion.

A dozen mech riders had just landed. The largest one opened, and Roy jumped out of it. Next to the mech riders, the rest of the dragonriders landed. Toppinir didn’t even wait for his dragon to land before leaping off, landing next to Roy.

Roy stormed up to Team Boundless and shouted, “All right, which one of you brats is in charge of all of this?”

All of Team Boundless pointed their fingers at Alex, who, unsurprisingly, was pointing at herself. Roy knelt and got in Alex’s face. “What in the nine hells did you think you were doing up there?”

Alex fought against all her inclinations to give a smart answer. She swallowed her pride and remembered why she’d made up her mind to join the battle to begin with. “After we were done with our mission, it came to my attention that you and Toppinir were in a bad situation.”

“And?”

“And I disobeyed direct orders to provide you and your squads backup since there were no other dragonriders or mech riders available. Uh, sir.”

Toppinir stepped forward and pulled Roy away from Alex. “You do understand that you placed your team in an extremely dangerous position?”

Alex nodded, preparing to say something when Jim spoke up. “Alex didn’t put us in any situation. She presented us with a choice, and we all agreed it was the right thing to do.”

“And you assumed that neither Myrddin nor the other higher-ups had a backup plan? You assumed you were honestly the last resort?”

“Uh, well, we sort of hacked the system to see what the plan was.”

Toppinir’s eyes went wide with surprise. “Which one of you broke into our system?” he asked, bewildered and a little impressed.

Gill raised his hand as he lowered his head. “Me. I was watching the correspondence. There was no rescue planned.”

Roy and Toppinir exchanged glances. Alex couldn’t read their faces. Neither of them spoke until finally, Roy sighed and said, “That’s because we weren’t expecting backup. Everyone knew the risks when they took this mission.”

Alex couldn’t keep it in any longer. “But we helped! We took down Holmorth, and now everything’s cool!” she interrupted.

“By disobeying a direct order. There’s a reason—”

“It was a stupid order! We knew we could help, and we did. I don’t see why it’s such a big deal!”

Roy and Alex argued, each raising their voice and trying to talk over each other. Toppinir looked as if he had already become bored with the conversation. He had started to gaze skyward. Gill came up to his side and followed his gaze.

The meteor was still hanging in the sky, a green aura surrounding it. “I’m assuming that shouldn’t still be there,” Gill said softly.

Toppinir looked down at Gill. “There aren’t many drow dragonriders,” he said unemotionally.

“There is only one drow dragonrider. And one human rider, too.”

“Hmm.” Toppinir nodded, neither impressed nor offended by Gill’s directness or tone. “To answer your question, no, that should not still be in the sky. Holmorth was the pilot. We assumed that once he was destroyed, the meteor would be as well.”

Gill nodded as he sat down and crossed his legs. “Wouldn’t a meteor fall anyway once it’s entered the atmosphere?”

Toppinir took a seat beside Gill. “Yes. Yes, it would.”

Alex and Roy were still arguing. It was uncertain what it was about at this point. The tirade hadn’t descended into personal insults, but it was getting close.

Jollies squeaked loudly and pointed up at the meteor. “Hey! Do you guys see that? What’s going on with it?” Jollies asked.

Alex stared at Roy for a second before turning her attention to the meteor. Talk about being ungrateful, Alex thought as she looked up at the meteor. Then any thought of Roy or his opinions quickly vanished from her mind.

The meteor was opening. There was a door where Holmorth had detached from the meteor. The door was slowly creaking open, and what came forth was devastating.

Vrosks, giant bees, and bats came flooding out of the hole in the meteor—more than had been in the sky before. The number had nearly tripled.

Brath jumped on Furi. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he shouted. “All right, guys, you know what time it is!” He anchored himself and pulled up, causing the dragon to climb to his feet and start flapping his wings.

Alex ran over to Brath, waving her hands to get his attention. “No, Brath, hold on. We need to see what is going on!”

Either Brath didn’t hear Alex, or he chose to pretend he didn’t. He took off. Roy came up behind Alex, clicking his tongue. “Looks like your squad doesn’t care for orders either,” he jabbed.

Furi and Brath raced toward the swarm of dark creatures. Something flew in front of him faster than he could see. There was only a blur, and when Brath looked down at his chest, he was bleeding.

Alex focused on Brath and saw him falling from Furi’s back. “Brath!” she shouted as she ran toward Chine.

Up above, more creatures poured out of the meteor. There were too many to name, even if Alex had known their names. The sky grew dark as the creatures swarmed, blocking out the sun. The mech and dragonriders stared up at the meteor as the sky went black.

The true danger of the meteor was yet to be known.

Author Notes Ramy Vance

February 13, 2020

As many of you know, I also write in a universe called the GoneGod World. For the uninitiated, here’s the premise: 

The gods are gone. All of them. And with their departure, they closed their heavens and hells, exiling their denizens onto Earth. Now mythical creatures of all kinds live among us. 

Basically, in the GoneGod World, it is conceivable that Medusa is your neighbor (and depending on where you live, she is!). 

Recently I’ve been writing articles for a fictional magazine in the GoneGod World that, oddly, fit in Middang3ard. In an earlier release, I wrote about the 9 Reasons to Marry an Ogre and They Might Be a Gnome.

In this one I’m exploring Badass Jobs Mythical Creatures are Better at than Humans… 

The job market is changing in the GoneGod World, and with an influx of a new and different kind of worker, I’d like to explore six badass jobs that mythical creatures would be better at than their human counterparts. 

Now it’s easy for this article to digress to the low-hanging fruit ... lazy ideas like a centaur as a carriage driver (they can pull the carriage and engage in interesting banter) or a hecatoncheires as a fruit picker (after all, they’re giants with a hundred arms). 

But such observations are cruel and do not remotely give these amazing creatures their due. 

So here are six badass jobs that mythical creatures would be better at than humans: 

1 - Deep Sea Explorers: Myraids - or sea-jinni - are the lions of the sea. Fast, strong and vicious, they hunt white sharks bare-handed, can traverse the English Channel in less than eight minutes and can swim to depths that human technology has yet to manage. And with over seventy percent of the world’s oceans yet to be chartered, why not use them to help us better understand our world? Who knows what we’ll find down there? Other Others? Aliens? Lost civilizations? Resources beyond our imagination? Whatever it is, we can’t afford NOT to do it.

Want to see a myraid in action? Azzah appears at the beginning of Keep Evolving (click here: ). 

2 - Detective: Gorgon 

The GoneGod World’s favorite gorgon is Medusa, and she’s a policewoman in the Keep Evolving Series (click here: ). 

3 - Houris: Prosecutors

Seleema is the GoneGod World’s resident houri, and stars in a short story in the House of the GoneGod Damned (click here: ). She’ll also star in her own series coming out in 2020. 

4 - Enoch’s Angels or the Twice Fallen: Archivists 

Probably the most famous Twice Fallen is Penemue … the angel who taught humanity how to read and write. He stars alongside Jean in the Keep Evolving Series. 

5 - Dark Elves: Ballet Dancers 

I’m just going to say it … ballet dancers are badass. Their physical prowess rivals a marine, their endurance would put most marathon runners to shame and their muscle control is the envy of Kung-Fu masters. Think I’m exaggerating? Check out Russian Ballet to see the kind of training they go through. But despite all that, they’re still just humans and there are limits to what the homo sapien body can do. But a dark elf? Now that’s a different story. Dark elves have incredible dexterity, are able to contort their bodies into shapes that no one with a spine should be able to do, treadmills break before dark elves get tired and if a human ballet dancer is as strong as a bull, then a dark elf is as strong as a minotaur. 

Author Notes Michael Anderle

March 5, 2020

THANK YOU for reading our story! We have a few of these planned, but we don’t know if we should continue writing and publishing without your input. Options include leaving a review, reaching out on Facebook to let us know, and smoke signals.

Frankly, smoke signals might get misconstrued as low hanging clouds, so you might want to nix that idea.

I have NO idea where Ramy came up with the mythical creatures would be better than humans at <insert job here> concept.

So, just to play along with him, I’ll choose firefighter as the occupation. BUT we have a problem (or challenge.) I’m not going to use obviously magical constructs (Ifrit or demon). I’m going to use something…not human.

A Salamander.

But, no magic. I’m going to use the mythical quality of the fire salamander that exudes a liquid that provides fire retardant (protective) qualities to whatever it is applied to. Say, the clothes of the firefighters.

So technically, this choice doesn’t work better than a human (still have to save people, pick them up, etc.) but rather, in a symbiotic relationship, those firefighters who have fire salamanders as collaborators will be able to deal with horrible fires better. Their equipment will have a special mythical you might say protection against the dangers of the heat and flames that others do not.

Ad Aeternitatem!

Michael Anderle

Sacrifices

Dragon Approved™ Book Seven

Chapter One

In the green valleys of Middang3ard, the sky grew dark and oppressive. There was a storm coming, a much larger one than what played out in the sky. The flashing crimson lightning was only a foretaste of what was to come.

All throughout the land, folks eyed the sky with growing mistrust. There hadn’t been blood clouds like this for a long time, long enough that many people had forgotten what they foretold. Yet the fear was there.

Parents hid their children inside, tucking them in early before the true night descended. They hoped blankets and candles would ward off any danger, hoped dreams would protect the young innocents.

Not all children were home; there were some who had left their homes. They had come to Middang3ard to fight in the war to end all wars. Those children stood in a valley underneath the large mass of black clouds in the gray sky, staring up at the blood-red streaks of lightning as their friend plummeted toward the earth.

Alex was watching the sky, watching the horror unfolding above her. Brath had been unanchored from Furi, who was falling, madly flapping his wings, trying to fly. Whatever had hit them must have been incredibly strong. Alex couldn’t imagine anything that could hurt Furi that much.

The world seemed to be in slow motion. Even though Alex knew Brath was falling and there was something she needed to do about it, there didn’t seem to be a rush. Brath fell so slowly.

Gill’s scream punctured the time distortion, and Alex felt everything return to speed. Her eyes focused without her realizing it, and she could see Brath’s eyes, wide with fear, as he turned, still falling.

Alex turned to Jollies and shouted, “Help him!”

Jollies pulled up on Amber and flew toward Brath. Gill was already on Timber, pulling the dragon into the air. They both raced toward Brath.

Above Brath floated a meteor. The meteor should have fallen hours ago, but it was not truly a rock. It hung in the air like a blade waiting to drop. Alex still wasn’t sure what the object was. First, a wizard had emerged from it. Now giant bees, vrosks, and bats were flying out through a hole in the side.

These creatures headed for Brath, swarming in a mass of black wings flapping mindlessly as if they were denizens of hell released upon the world of the living.

Gill broke away from Jollies, heading straight for the closest beasts, those who looked as if they were getting close enough to strike Brath. The drow slipped under them, his dragon Timber blasting up a concussive force from his mouth that pushed the black-winged bats back.

Timber maneuvered under Brath so the gnome fell onto his back. Gill checked to see if the gnome was okay.

Brath was still breathing, but his face was badly burned, and he was now unconscious. Gill turned Timber around, ignoring the creatures from the meteor as he hit his comm. “Brath is hurt,” Gill explained. “We’re coming down.”

Jollies and Amber were flying around Furi. They were spraying a healing salve on the dragon, working as fast as they could. They hoped the salve would wake Furi before he crashed into the ground.

That was their only option. Furi was far too large to try to support out of the sky. If the salve didn’t pop the dragon’s eyes open, nothing could save him.

Furi continued to fall as Jollies and Amber flew around him, still deploying the bright green healing mist. Suddenly, Furi’s eyes popped open and he flapped his wings, creating a gust of wind that almost knocked Jollies off Amber.

The pixie and her dragon flew away from Furi as he regained his balance, looking around for his rider. When Furi saw Brath lying on Timber’s back, Furi raced toward him as Timber landed next to the rest of the dragons and mech riders.

Alex climbed onto Timber and helped Gill lower Brath off the dragon. They placed Brath gently on a mat on the ground.

Roy walked up silently behind the remainder of Team Boundless, as did Toppinir, the elf’s and the human’s eyes locked on what was going on above them all. The sky grew darker still as the wings of the creatures unleashed from the meteor blocked out the light of the sun.

Roy shook his head and said, “The dark clouds would have been appreciated more than this. I see that not listening to orders runs through your entire team.”

Alex stared daggers at Roy as she got to her feet and got in his face. “Do you have anything else you want to add?” she said, barely able to keep from punching him in the face.

Toppinir put himself between them. “Hey, this isn’t the time,” he said. “They have a man down, Roy. Lock it down.”

Roy bowed, his face sincerely contrite, and said, “I am sorry.”

Alex didn’t want to let it go, but the sky was full of monsters, and Brath was hurt very badly. “Is there anything we can do for him?” Alex asked as she knelt next to Brath.

Roy paced, scratching the stubble on his face. “Our medic died in the first wave.”

“Don’t you have wizards or someone with healing magic or something?”

“Not in the mech or dragonriders. We’re strictly an artillery squad. Most of the mech riders are human, and the dragonriders aren’t wizards. We riders ain’t known for our magic.”

Toppinir was staring at the sky, his eyes nearly as dark as the clouds. “I can help him,” he said softly. “My ties to magic are stronger than most here. Healing a few burns shouldn’t be a problem.”

With grace and solemnity, Toppinir knelt beside Brath and ran his palm over the gnome’s face while murmuring softly under his breath. The air around Brath changed—grew cold and then warm. The burns on Brath’s body faded like carvings on stone, weathered by wind over the years.

Brath sat up, his eyes opening sleepily as he scratched his face where the burns had been. “What the hell happened?” he asked.

Alex punched Brath in the shoulder. “You flew off like an idiot without thinking of what could happen!” she shouted, pointing at the horde of monsters in the sky. “You could have gotten yourself killed.”

Brath laughed bitterly as he got to his feet. “Isn’t this a suicide mission?” he asked. “Since when are we worrying if we’re going to die?”

Alex didn’t have an answer for Brath’s snide comment. He did have a point. Arguing over who died on a suicide mission was like arguing over who was going to get the first bowl of hot soup; it didn’t matter what order you were in, there was enough to go around, and it was going to get cold soon enough.

Roy and Toppinir were both transfixed by what was going on above. In a morbid way, it was beautiful. Alex had hardly seen the sky in her brief life, but she could never have imagined one looking like this.

The sky reminded her of death. She had never visualized what death looked like, but now she knew it was like this sky. Not the good kind of death, falling asleep in old age and never waking up. This death would be violent and heart-wrenching.

The rest of Alex’s team came over and watched the sky with Alex, Roy, and Toppinir while the dragons gathered in the background, examining Furi’s superficial wounds. All of the mech riders and dragonriders were fascinated with what was going on above. They knew it would have to be dealt with.

A creeping dread started in the back of Alex’s mind, and the hairs on her neck bristled. How are we going to kill all of them? she wondered. It finally dawned on her that there had been no way to save Toppinir and Roy. The two hadn’t been in any immediate danger, they were just up against unbeatable odds.

Roy let out a heavy sigh as he walked over to his mech and climbed in. “Okay, boys and girls, who’s ready for round two?” he asked.

Alex couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The man didn’t sound like he had a problem with the odds they were facing. “Wait, are you serious?” she exclaimed. “Are you really thinking about going up there? Didn’t you see what just happened to Brath?”

Roy lit a cigar. “No offense, but me and my squad aren’t nearly as green as you and your friends,” he wheezed. “We’re not going to go down in a couple of minutes. Maybe a couple of hours, a dozen if we get lucky. We’ll put a dent in them no matter what.”

There was a determined flavor to Roy’s words. Alex had never heard anything like it. Even though she had said earlier she was ready to die, listening to Roy showed her she had been mistaken.

Alex would have fought tooth and nail to stay alive. She would have schemed and plotted and struggled to the bitter end to hold on to her life. Roy didn’t have to say he was willing to give his life for the cause. It was evident in his voice, in his face. The man was all in.

Toppinir would be the voice of reason. He had to be. That must be why he and Roy always teamed up. Roy was the crazy son-of-a-gun, and Toppinir was the cool, calm, collected strategist. The elf must have a plan up his sleeve.

Much to Alex’s dismay, Toppinir went to his dragon and leaped aboard, taking his seat on a saddle–the oldest tech Alex had seen since she’d gotten to Middang3ard. “More than a few hours,” Toppinir said. “I’d say at least twelve unless there are more of those creatures inside of the meteor.”

Alex rushed to Roy and Toppinir, waving her hands like they were capable of grounding the mech and the dragon. “Wait, aren’t you even a little curious to know what that thing is?” she shouted. “It’s obviously not a meteor. Meteors aren’t full of monsters.”

Roy ashed his cigar and leaned over the side of his mech. “Don’t matter, since you kindly pointed out what it’s doing,” he said calmly. “It’s dumping hundreds of vicious creatures into Middang3ard to destroy everything this realm knows. Can’t see how figuring what it is will stop it from doing that.”

Alex turned to Toppinir, hoping to get something other than insanity from the elf. “Are you serious? You don’t even know what that thing is,” she argued. “What if we destroyed it? You saw how all those bats dropped once we killed Holmorth.”

Toppinir ran his fingers through his wispy goatee. “True,” he admitted. “Even then, it took an extreme amount of artillery to shave off a little piece of the meteor in question. It’s unlikely we will be able to destroy it.”

Roy groaned loudly. “Don’t matter. There’s an army of the Dark One’s vermin up there, and as far as I can tell, it makes a pretty effective wall between us and whatever plan you’re trying to cook up.”

This was where Alex was going to put her foot down. She had more than a half-baked plan. “Okay,” she said. “What’s the difference between our dragons and mechs and everything up there?”

Roy chewed on his cigar as he leaned out of his mech. “All right, I’ll bite,” he grumbled. “What’s the difference?”

Alex flashed her mischievous grin. “What’s up there doesn’t have four legs,” she started. “Which means they expect the fight to be in the air. And only in the air.”

A sparkle danced behind Roy’s eyes as he caught onto what Alex was saying. “Hm. I guess there’s more to you than crazy ideas. You got crazy ideas offering a little bit of hope. All right. If we’re all gonna die anyway, what’s the harm in trying something new?”

Chapter Two

Roy, Toppinir, and Alex discussed the plan. Somehow, they were going to funnel the flying creatures to the ground. At first, it seemed like a straightforward idea. A problem eventually arose, though.

As the three were planning, Jollies casually pointed to the sky. “There’s more of them than before.”

When Alex looked up, she was shocked to see that Jollies was understating the case. The number of monsters had nearly doubled in the ten minutes Alex had been speaking to the two veterans. If this kept up, there would be too many of the Dark One’s forces to fight in any way.

Brath sauntered over to the discussion, his face smugger than usual. “You guys are spending way too much time talking this through,” he snapped. “We need to get in there and do some damage.”

Toppinir chuckled under his breath before saying, “We all saw how that worked out for you. I think it would be best if we don’t make the same mistake as you did.”

Roy tried to hide his snickers but was unable to. Brath blushed, but he didn’t back down from his point. He threw himself into the argument, defending his opinion with vigor.

At this point, Alex knew talking sensibly wasn’t going to happen. The moment Brath joined a strategy session, it devolved to irritated sighing and the occasional brief but intense shouting match.

Alex went for a walk, staring at the sky. She made her way to Chine, who was sitting away from the other dragons, blasting his claws with thin streams of fire. ‘Sup, Chine?

Chine lost interest in grooming himself and peered at Alex with his large, unfathomable eyes. Something on your mind, Dustling? You seem perturbed.

Alex gestured upward as she sat down across from Chine. You ever see anything like this before?

Chine nodded as he followed Alex’s gaze. I have seen these creatures before, but I have never seen them like this. From my understanding, shooting stars rarely hold monsters. When they do, those monsters are ancient, eldritch. Not such base creatures as vrosks.

What do you mean about shooting stars holding eldritch monsters?

Chine blew out a flame that briefly illuminated Alex’s face. Her eyes were dilated, almost reptilian, nearly the same as her dragon’s. Many of the eldritch Old Ones were conceived in a place between realms.

They were not born of flesh and blood, as many of us are. It is difficult to understand how they were conceived, but many of them were incubated in meteors and asteroids. When those rocks hit the realms, the Old Ones were born.

The meteor above was still stationary. The green aura around it spiked and withdrew as if it were a living thing. Do you think there might be something like that in there? Alex wondered.

Chine had grown bored looking at the sky and returned to grooming himself. Perhaps. But whatever is incubating inside is not an Old One. It is something new. Perhaps something worse.

Good talk, Chine. You always know just what to say to encourage me.

How is that encouraging, Dustling?

Sarcasm, my dude. Sarcasm.

Alex sat there for some time, thinking about what the dragon had said as she watched the sky. Holmorth had been in the meteor, but he had only been on the outer crust. It was almost as if he were a guard, protecting something more important within the meteor. What do you think we should do? Alex asked.

Chine’s scales ruffled as he stood and shook his wings. Roy and Toppinir are not like you and the rest of Boundless. They are soldiers, and they have been soldiers for some time. They have orders and they follow them. You, on the other hand…”

Yeah, I know, I don’t listen to orders.

You say that as if it were a fault. Thinking for yourself is an admirable quality, one that dragons respect greatly. It is a quality that will never fail you. Why should now be any different?

Alex crossed her arms as she tossed herself to the grass with a loud huff. All that it’s done so far is get my friends and me in trouble. What’s it going to get me this time?

The dragon leaned over Alex, looking her in the eyes. Perhaps victory. Or are you so weak-willed that a simple disagreement will sway you?

Alex rolled over and sat up as she pointed at Chine. You know what? I’m not a huge fan of this attitude. So, no. I’m not going to let it stop me. Now excuse me. I have a point to go make to Roy and Toppinir.

Alex marched up to Toppinir and Roy, coughed as loud as she could, folded her arms, and waited for them to turn. “There’s something in the meteor,” she said. “Don’t know what it is, but I know Holmorth was only the tip of the iceberg.”

Toppinir raised his eyebrows. “It isn’t an iceberg. It’s a meteor,” he corrected.

Roy rubbed his forehead as he sighed. “It’s a human idiom,” Roy explained. “You can only see the tip of an iceberg. There’s a whole mess of ice underneath. What’s beneath the surface usually does the damage.”

“An apt analogy, then. But I believe the rest of the iceberg has vomited out into the sky already.”

Alex shook her head in disagreement and said, “No, that’s the thing, I don’t think it has. Those monsters, all that—it’s just a smokescreen for what’s inside. Like, I don’t know, a defense mechanism or something.”

Toppinir looked interested in Alex’s reasoning. “Why do you think that?”

“Why would the most powerful thing be located on the outside of the meteor, close to the surface? And as soon as we damage the rest of the meteor, more monsters come flooding out? It’s to protect something. Like when you get too close to an anthill, piles of ants come out to protect the queen. There’s something else in there.”

Roy and Toppinir exchanged glances as they thought through what Alex had said. “All right,” Roy finally said. “What do you propose?”

Alex pointed up at the monsters passively flying in the sky. “See how they haven’t even attacked us yet?” she asked. “They’re waiting for us to go up there. Like I said before, I say we drive them down, wipe them out, and try to crack the meteor open.”

The plan wasn’t any different from what had been offered before. The big difference was, it caught Toppinir’s and Roy’s interest this time. Throwing your life away was one thing, but the mystery of what was in the meteor made the prospect more exciting.

Toppinir, still being the voice of reason, said, “And how do you propose we do this?”

Alex held her hand out in front of her. “This is the wall of monsters,” she explained. “They’re all grouped together. I say we swing around from the far side and come down on top of them. That’ll force them down. Sure, they’ll be stragglers, but we’ll catch most of them. Then we clean up the rest.”

Roy pushed Toppinir away and said, “Give us a minute to talk this out.”

Alex politely watched as Toppinir and Roy walked away, talking between themselves. They stood a little way off and discussed the mission prospects as the rest of Boundless came up to Alex. “What are they talking about?” Jim asked.

“My plan to figure out what’s inside the meteor,” Alex answered.

“Didn’t we already find out what was in there? Holmorth, right?”

“No, that was just the beginning. I think whatever is in there will put Holmorth to shame.”

Jollies gasped, and her hue shimmered to a deep blue. “Really? Worse than him?” she asked. “He was so strong and disgusting.”

Alex noticed Roy and Toppinir walking back as she shrugged off Jollies’ concern. “Yeah, Holmorth was pretty bad,” Alex agreed, “but we took care of him easy enough. No casualties. And he and his drones or whatever the hell they were are dead. I think we can take it.”

Toppinir and Roy joined the group, and the elf stepped forward. “We think your plan might be viable,” he said. “I suggest you check on your dragons and prepare to—”

Alex cut him off. “Our dragons are already prepped. When will you be ready?”

Toppinir was caught off-guard by Alex’s readiness. “Uh, give us half an hour or so. Then we’ll be ready for the battle.”

“Good. Hurry up. The longer we wait, the more of those monsters we’ll have to deal with.”

* * *

As Jollies had said, the cloud of creatures and monsters floating around the meteor had doubled. It truly looked as if the monsters had the potential to block out the sun.

The only speck of hope left was that the monsters hadn’t descended and attacked. They continued to float, unaware of, or perhaps unconcerned with, the dragonriders beneath them.

Alex thought the monsters might operate like some kind of security system. If you passed a certain point, the alarm went off, and the vrosks and bats would attack. As long as they didn’t pass that point, the dragonriders would be okay. The problem was figuring out what that point was.

Realistically, it couldn’t be just any spot in the sky; it had to be near the meteor. That meant, in theory, there was a lot of working space for the dragonriders. It was inevitable they were going to cross the line in the sky and send the beasts into a frenzy. They just had to make sure they were in the proper position before that happened.

Roy was rallying his troops with a speech, as was Toppinir. Team Boundless watched from the sidelines. Alex didn’t see the point in trying to whip her squad into a frenzy. Each of them looked ready to do what must be done.

There wasn’t any doubt on their faces. Team Boundless’ will was as strong as Alex’s.

Also, Alex wasn’t sure if she and Boundless were invited on the mission. She thought it better not to make a scene either way. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, she thought.

Chine’s voice chimed in Alex’s head. Both also stop being a problem in the face of defeat or victory. The dead can make no apologies, and victors have no need of them.”

Alex reached down and rubbed the dragon’s back scales. That’s exactly what I needed to cheer me up in the most morbid way as possible. She laughed.

I thought that would be motivating.

Roy and Toppinir pointed to the meteor in the sky, Roy shouting, “All right, mech riders, this is what we came here for. That hunk of rock is the most dangerous thing to come to Middang3ard since we did. Let’s remind the Dark One why we’re the stuff of his nightmares!”

Alex suddenly realized Jim wasn’t with the other mech riders. “Hey, shouldn’t you be with your squad?” Alex asked Jim.

Jim popped open his cockpit and leaned out. “Eh, they’re not going to miss me,” he said nonchalantly. “Besides, Myrddin put me with you guys. I’m Team Boundless today, whether Roy likes it or not. It’s my preference anyway.”

Toppinir and his dragonriders were also preparing to take off. The two veterans met each other’s eyes, gave the signal (a nod more usually reserved for running into someone you didn’t like at the supermarket), and took off, their riders following.

Alex didn’t wait for an invitation from the veteran dragonriders. She gave the signal to Team Boundless, pointing to the meteor and the battle awaiting them. “All right, Boundless,” Alex shouted, “We’re going in hard from the right. Flank them from the top, then bring down hell on their heads!”

Chapter Three

The dragonriders moved into position. They wasted no time, hardly making a sound as they swooped into the space between the meteor and the swarm of hellish winged creatures. Roy and Toppinir took the front line. Alex held back, watching and waiting to see what happened.

Toppinir looked over his shoulder and waved Alex over, shouting something she couldn’t hear. She motioned to her comm and tapped it, and the elf’s voice came through. “You don’t think you’re getting out of this, do you?”

As Alex urged Chine forward, she said, “I didn’t know I was invited to the adult table for the party.”

“Yup. It’s your plan.”

That was all the time they spent talking because as soon as Alex got beside Toppinir, Roy dove forward, firing missiles at the walls of creatures. His missiles weren’t as strong as a dragon’s breath, but it was enough to take care of a few vrosks.

Toppinir was next, his dragon shooting blue fire from its gullet in quick, controlled bursts. It wasn’t enough to kill anything, but it did damage. As Toppinir fired, he pushed his dragon forward, forcing the creatures to the ground.

Alex followed Toppinir’s example. Chine shot small blasts of ether fire, enough to graze the fur of the bats but not enough to set it aflame. Alex, Roy, and Toppinir headed up the attack, and the rest of the dragonriders came up on the side.

Those dragonriders took care of containing the overflow. As the three in the front forced the monsters down, a few creatures tried to flee from the scene, bolting to the right or left. The dragonriders on containment flew to the sides, blasting the monsters trying to escape and corralling them into a massive spire heading toward the ground.

Once Alex was certain the monsters were going to continue moving, she looked back at the meteor. The green aura floating over it had taken on a crystalline look, almost as if the energy had solidified into stone.

There was something else in the meteor. Alex could feel it deep in her mind as if whatever was in the meteor was reaching out to her and calling her, trying to speak. It took all of Alex’s will, but she turned away from the meteor. Whatever was in there was dangerous.

The creatures continued to be forced down to the ground. Their screeches filled the air, cut off only by the combustion of the dragon fire singing skin and fur. The whooping of the dragonriders was almost barbaric.

At the rate they were going, the creatures were going to be on the ground in no time, and then the real battle would start. Alex figured it would be more like cleanup. Most of the monsters only had two legs. They wouldn’t be ready for a ground fight. “We got this!” Alex shouted.

Above the dragonriders, there was a very loud click. It was an ominous sound. A switch the size of a skyscraper must have been flipped.

Alex looked up, staring at the hole Holmorth had come from in the meteor. It was glowing bright green. “Oh, crap, this is not good,” Alex muttered before hitting her comm and shouting, “Hey, guys! Up above!”

The dragonriders all looked at the meteor, where energy was being pulled and charging with a twinkling of green light as if the riders were seeing a dying star.

Without warning, a blast of green energy shot from the hole in the meteor. The energy blast tore through the right side of the dragonriders’ right flank, instantly killing two riders. The remaining riders on the right pulled away.

With the break in the formation, the creatures poured through the hole, flying upward to attack the three riders trying to force the winged beasts groundward.

When Toppinir saw what was happening, he turned to Alex and commanded, “Bring one of your guys up here. I’m going to handle them until the right side can get back together.”

The clicking from above was followed by a whirring as if a great vortex were opening. Alex couldn’t help but look in the direction of the meteor as it prepared to fire again. “Are you with me?” Toppinir shouted, bringing Alex’s focus back to him.

Alex nodded and Toppinir took off toward the right of the formation, blasting the escaped monsters with his dragon’s icy breath. The rest of the riders on the right side joined him. Alex hit her comm and said, “Jim, I need you on my left. Now!”

Jim’s voice crackled over the comm, letting Alex know he was coming, as he swung over from the left flank of the formation, taking Toppinir’s spot between Roy and Alex. He instantly started firing his flamethrower. The flames weren’t as hot as a dragon’s, but they got the job done.

The meteor was powering up for another shot. Alex knew that in their current position, they were defenseless targets. There wasn’t anything that could be done; it was a race against time. Could they get to the ground before the meteor tore them all apart?

Alex looked up at the meteor, focusing as hard as she could. All she needed was a clue. Luckily, her eyes were good enough to give her one.

In the middle of the green energy hole, Alex could see the faintest glint of white light. The light was moving back and forth. She assumed it was the aiming mechanism. From where she was, it looked like the meteor was going to fire on the left side, so they could switch it up and break both formations.

Alex patched to Roy. “The meteor is going to fire again, but this time it’s going for the left side.”

“Gotcha,” Roy replied. “Left side, when you hear the thing fire, scatter. Once the beam passes, reform and take out any leftover vermin, got it?”

A chorus of “Hell, yeah” filled the comm system.

The confident response was quickly cut off by the sound of the meteor’s energy beam firing again. The air grew hot and acidic with energy as another green beam rocketed toward the riders. They were barely able to swerve out of its path of destruction, narrowly missing being obliterated.

Luckily, there were no casualties this time, and since the riders had enough of a heads up, only a few creatures escaped from the tight net the riders had cast.

Alex continued to push on with Roy and Jim. Gill’s voice cut into her comm. “Hey,” he said. “You know that click we keep hearing? That’s the meteor gearing up to fire. We have thirty or so seconds from the click until it fires. It also seems like the meteor needs to recharge for up to five minutes before each shot.”

Alex was constantly impressed by Gill. Even when she didn’t know what he was doing, the drow was always thinking, working out how to get around a problem. “All right, let Roy and Toppinir know too. Maybe they can think of something.”

There was a half-formed plan hatching in Alex’s mind, and it had nothing to do with what Gill had just told her. That was someone else’s problem. She had one right in front of her, and the solution was becoming more obvious.

Hey, Chine, how big can you make the gravity warper?

Roughly the size of the meteor above us. Give or take a few meters.

Perfect. On my call, I want you to kick it into gear, but I want the gravity field over all of these creeps. Triple it toward the ground. All right?

Understood.

Alex patched into Toppinir, Roy, and Jim. “Hey, guys, the longer we do this, the more likely it is we’re going to get fried.”

Roy laughed bitterly and replied, “I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of a suicide mission.”

“Well, I have a way to speed it up. When I say go, we push down hard, all right?”

“If it gets me out from under the giant green death ray, I’m more than happy to do it.”

Alex leaned forward and shouted, “Now!” as she plunged. Chine activated his gravity field, and there was a noticeable tug downwards. Alex watched as a nearly invisible aura spread over the dragonriders and the monsters they were herding.

Then gravity really kicked in. Alex was yanked to the ground. Chine shot off small bursts of ether fire to encourage the monsters to move faster. In a few seconds, the entire seething mess of riders and monsters was rocketing down at the speed of a falling elevator.

Roy popped out of his cockpit for a second to get a better look at what was happening. “Yippee-ki-yay!” he shouted before ducking back into his mech.

The dragonriders didn’t have much control at this point, but it didn’t matter. The gravity well was driving everything groundward anyway. The only problem was how they were going to stick the landing. Chine, deactivate the gravity well a few feet from the ground, all right? Alex suggested.

Chine already knew what Alex was thinking. Will that be enough time?

Let’s hope it is.

Alex patched into the rest of the dragonriders. “All right, guys, the gravity is going to disengage in a couple of seconds. We gotta pull up after that. Otherwise, we’re going to crash into the ground, all right?”

There was a murmur of agreement as the dragonriders prepared for the last-minute change to the trajectory.

The ground was rushing up fast. Alex could hardly see it through all the beating wings beneath her, but when she caught a glimpse, she knew it was going to be a hard maneuver, even by her standards. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too much for the rest of the riders.

From above came the familiar dread-inducing click. Alex’s heart sank. She assumed the same was happening for the rest of the riders. Forty-five seconds, tops. That was all they were going to have to pull this off.

Alex counted to herself as she felt the gravity start to loosen up. Chine was slowly tapering it off, giving the rest of the riders more freedom to determine how they were going to pull up.

Then the gravity cut off. Alex had lost count of how long had passed since the meteor’s last click, but it didn’t matter. The important thing right now was making sure she didn’t go headfirst into the ground. Alex pulled up with everything she had and banked left. The rest of the riders did the same.

As the dragonriders tried to avoid the ground and move in another direction, the meteor fired, a hellblast of green energy penetrating the ground. The riders scattered like chaff in the wind, many of them being tossed around by the vacuum created by the energy beam.

The monsters weren’t as lucky as the riders. Still caught in the throes of the gravity well and without competent riders, they were all but defenseless. The green energy beam cut through the monsters, turning their bodies to flames and ashes.

Alex was overjoyed as she looked over her shoulders. The green energy beam faded. “Talk about a lucky break!” she shouted.

Roy cackled over the comm. “All right, riders, let’s mop this mess up!”

The dragonriders descended on the remaining monsters, Toppinir leading the charge. He started in the same fashion the riders had used to corral the monsters initially, forcing the remaining creatures out of the vantage point of the energy beam.

It was time for Alex to finish what she had started. She and Chine swooped through the vrosks and bats, which were tripping over each other, flapping their wings senselessly, trying to take to the sky again.

Chine let loose a tumult of ether fire as he flew over the creatures. The rest of the riders were doing the same—flying overhead and unleashing attack after attack on the defenseless monsters.

The mech riders had set themselves the task of containing anything trying to escape. They formed a large circle around the monsters, slowly closing it as they fired missiles at the monsters, who lashed out with their fangs and tails.

The attacks meant nothing to the mech riders. What the mechs lacked in speed and maneuverability, they made up for in defenses. They continued to push the circle tighter, undeterred by attacks, fighting their way toward each other as the numbers of the monsters dwindled.

Toppinir and his dragon rose into the air, silhouetted in the glow of the meteor above, before rocketing into the middle of the circle. The dragon hit the ground, sending a concussive force through the air along with a wall of flame, incinerating the remaining monsters.

When the smoke and flames cleared, there were only ash and bone. The day was won.

Chapter Four

The battle was over. The creatures that hadn’t been obliterated by the meteor’s green beam had been killed by the dragonriders. There were a few of those riders walking amongst the corpses, finishing off whatever had survived.

The rest of the dragonriders had removed themselves from the battlefield, making sure they were a good distance from the meteor’s range. Many of them gazed up at the object, their hearts still racing from the battle, fearful of the meteor’s power.

Despite having been in the atmosphere for some time, the meteor hadn’t moved any closer. It hung in the same place it had since originally entering the atmosphere. This was cause for concern and had prompted a heated discussion amongst the riders.

Team Boundless had instantly gone to service their dragons, Alex trying to drive home the point that the comfort and safety of their dragons were the priorities outside of battle. She reminded her squad that this would put them in the position to fight again as quickly as possible.

No one from Boundless had a problem with that logic, and they broke off from the main group of riders, who were busy celebrating their victory, their dragons patiently waiting to be drained of draconian fluid.

Alex was elbow deep in Chine’s spine, both of them wincing and trying to ignore their pain when Roy approached from the other dragonriders’ camp. “You guys like to keep to yourselves?” Roy called to her.

The dragonrider ignored Roy at first, preferring to pay attention to the task at hand. Once Chine’s fluid had been drained, it started to absorb into her body. She sat down, gritting her teeth through the pain, waiting for it to pass.

Pain, like all things, does pass. Once Alex was finished absorbing the fluid, she playfully slapped the back of her dragon’s head and leaped off, sending her thoughts. All right, gotta go see how much trouble I’m in this time.

Chine didn’t show any physical signs of having heard Alex, but she could feel the dragon chuckling inside her head. Your strategy won the battle. Today might not be the day to ask for forgiveness.

Roy was waiting for Alex, admiring Chine from afar as she lazily walked up. “Keep to ourselves?” Alex repeated. “Not really. We’d love to be hanging out with the big kids, but I have the sneaking suspicion we aren’t wanted.”

It was Roy’s turn to act awkward. The man reminded Alex of a child trying to muster up the courage for an apology. Finally, Roy spoke. “Can’t see why they wouldn’t want you,” he nearly whispered. “Good plan, by the way. Worked like a charm. Got a good head on you. Glad to see it still attached too.”

“I’m planning to keep it that way. Besides, these suicide missions are starting to look more survivable. I’ll probably need a head if I’m going to be doing any more.”

“You were right about there being something else in the meteor as well. I give credit where it is deserved. There must be something operating that beam.”

Alex couldn’t stop herself from looking up at the meteor. The hunk of rock had become something else in her eyes over the last few hours. She could see why Myrddin had been so obsessed with stopping this thing.

Regardless of what was inside the meteor, its energy beam weapon was cause enough to try to blow the damn thing up. That beam could easily take out a city. “It could all be automated,” Alex suggested to Roy. “The same way the drones and those monsters were.”

Roy scratched his chin as he pondered Alex’s words. “True,” he agreed. “Either way, a defense system implies something to defend. By the way, we’re getting a squad of reinforcements and supplies. Your pal Manny is going to be there. Care to join?”

“Join what?”

“Our little war room on the ship.”

“Sure. I don’t have anything better to do.”

Roy laughed as he headed back to the main squad. “Glad to see you have a sense of humor. We don’t have enough riders with that asset. You’d think constantly risking your life would help you see the ludicrousness of life, or at least give you something to laugh at. Not these guys. Wouldn’t know a joke if it walked up and punched them in the face.”

“Maybe you just aren’t very funny.”

Roy stopped in his tracks. His face was grave as he turned to face Alex. He looked as if he had just been slapped. “Me, not funny?” he asked. “Now that’s a good joke.”

The two of them joined up with Toppinir, who was watching his team finally get to their dragon maintenance. Toppinir politely bowed in Alex’s direction and repeated many of the accolades Roy had just stated. “The ship should be here in twenty minutes or so,” he informed Alex.

The dragonriders in Toppinir’s squad were talking and joking with each other. The mood in the air was almost cheery, despite the giant rock of death floating ominously overhead. “Hey, do you guys think you could call me when the ship gets here?” Alex asked. “I’d like to check in with my team.”

Toppinir agreed to the request, and Roy shrugged it off as something he didn’t care about. Alex headed back over the hill to Team Boundless.

The squad had finished their maintenance and was huddled around a small fire. The dragons had circled their riders. The fire was a good idea. Despite it being late afternoon, the air in the valley was cold. No doubt, it was caused by the meteor.

No one had mentioned it, but Alex felt as if the meteor was distorting the world around her. The air felt different in her lungs. The valley was far too quiet, as if it were devoid of life. It was too bright for there to be so many black clouds in the sky.

Alex sat down next to Jim, who was pulling up grass and blowing it off his palm. “Nice of you to join us,” Jim chided.

Gill watched Alex and Jim from behind the flames of the team’s fire. Alex could feel his eyes on her, and when she looked up, Gill didn’t bother looking away. Discerning what was behind his eyes was difficult. They did not look angry or hurt, merely watchful. After a bit, Gill turned and began speaking with Jollies.

Jim picked up on the silence and cleared his throat. “Just a joke,” he said. “I didn’t really think you were abandoning us or anything.”

Alex was brought back from her thoughts. “Huh,” she murmured. “Oh, yeah, I didn’t think you guys thought that or anything. Figured you were happy you weren’t the ones being chewed out.”

From over the fire came Brath’s laugh. “Yeah, I’m not going to lie, I’m glad I missed that one. Assume you’re going to be the one to lecture me, am I right?”

Alex shook her head as she leaned back against Chine’s arm. “Nope. Not my place. We’re a team, and we’re supposed to work together. We make mistakes, and we learn together. I’ll leave it at that, all right?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Jollies flitted over the fire and took a seat on Alex’s shoulder. “So, what’s happening next?” she asked. “That meteor is still in the sky. That’s why we’re here, right?”

Alex glanced at the meteor before returning her gaze to the fire. She was just as likely to find answers in the dancing flames as the green aura above. “We came here to help Roy and Toppinir,” she finally assented. “If their mission is the rock, then our mission is the rock.”

“What are they planning on doing?”

“Reinforcements are coming, Manny along with them. I’m guessing they have orders from higher up he’s delivering. I’m going to be meeting with them too. Until then, I guess we just sit tight.”

Gill stood and walked over to Alex, taking a seat in front of her and Jim. Alex wished the drow wouldn’t always be so direct. It was disconcerting. And confusing. Brath had said Gill liked her, but Gill didn’t show his affection in any way she expected him to.

The coolness Alex had felt from Gill had worn off, replaced by something much more confusing. Gill’s calm demeanor made him seem like an adult, so the occasional sparks of childishness were all the more apparent.

Gill was wearing his HUD visor, and he flipped it down when he knelt. “I’ve been tracking the trajectory of the meteor. A little while ago, I hacked into the Nest’s server to look for their records on the meteor’s path.”

This was more than enough to get Alex’s attention. “What did you find out?”

“The meteor was traveling faster than anything ever documented in the nine realms. When it entered our atmosphere, it came to a dead stop, and it hasn’t moved since. This implies your hypothesis might be correct.”

“I didn’t know I had a hypothesis.”

“There is more to the meteor than meets the eye. I hesitate to even call it a meteor. If it were a naturally occurring object, it would have smashed into the ground hours ago. Yet here it is, not moving at all.”

Roy’s voice crackled over Alex’s comm. “Hey, kid, the floating eyeball is here. Head over.”

Alex stood and brushed the dirt off her butt. “All right, that’s my wakeup call,” she said jokingly. “I’ll see you guys in a bit. Hopefully, I’ll know what’s going on. Later.”

Alex walked to where Roy had said the ship was going to be. She crested the hill, going in the opposite direction of the meteor. There she saw the ship. It was an elongated silver thing, looking almost like a cigar. Two huge thrusters were located on each side, and it carried numerous turrets. Glad to see they came prepared for a fight, Alex thought.

Roy, Toppinir, and a handful of soldiers were waiting at the ship’s entrance for Alex. They nodded to acknowledge her and headed onto the ship. Alex followed, jogging to keep up with them so she wasn’t walking behind anyone.

The ship looked as high tech as anything Alex had seen in the Nest. It appeared to be made of the same living crystal as the Nest as well. Soldiers and ensigns crowded it, giving the ship the feeling of a beehive.

The two veterans went straight to the holomap in the middle of the bridge. Manny was floating there, waiting for them. He smiled when he saw Alex. “Looks like you are incapable of following anything like an order or suggestion,” he said and laughed.

Alex was glad the Beholder wasn’t pissed at her. It seemed as if everyone in the room now took her much more seriously than they had a few hours ago. “Myrddin told me he recruited me to fight. I want to make sure I don’t disappoint.”

“You’ve scared the living hell out of all of us, but you haven’t disappointed yet.”

Roy looked like he didn’t have time for pleasantries, his face grim and set. “All right, what do you have for us, Manny?” he interrupted.

Manny was all business as he looked at the holomap, which displayed the meteor above them. “Getting rid of the creatures surrounding the meteor was a great idea,” he started. “Now you have a direct path to the hole Team Boundless created.”

“And what good is a hole if we don’t know what’s inside it?”

“We’ve sent our best drones to try to get an idea of what we’re up against. We haven’t received anything back yet.”

Alex listened to Toppinir and Roy discuss possibilities with Manny. Their concern revolved around not knowing what was within the meteor. That was when Alex had an idea. “Hey, Manny, can I borrow your eyes?” she asked.

Manny did a double-take as one of his tentacled eyes whipped around and stared at Alex. “What do you mean?”

Alex motioned for Manny to follow her as she headed toward the ship’s exit. Once outside, Alex asked Manny again if she could borrow his eyes. This time the Beholder didn’t bother replying. Alex closed her eyes and focused.

When Alex opened her eyes, she was seeing with Manny’s abilities. She saw the heat signatures of everyone around her, along with their bones and a weird energy as well. Interesting but not what she cared about.

Alex looked up at the meteor and focused on zooming in while concentrating on Manny’s x-ray vision.

As Alex stared up at the meteor, its outside edges blurred. She focused until finally, she saw into the interior of the meteor. The interior of the meteor was hollow, but other than that, Alex couldn’t make out any more details. That seemed like enough, though.

Manny was growing irritated and bored. “You just wanted to take a look at the same thing we’ve all been looking at for the last few months?”

Alex headed back toward the bridge. “You can never have too many eyes, you know,” she murmured.

When Alex got back to the bridge, she told Toppinir and Roy the meteor was hollow. She had been unable to see what was inside, but there was definitely room to move around.

Toppinir and Roy exchanged glances, then Toppinir said, “That’s what we were thinking. Looks like our plan might work.”

“What would that be?” Alex asked.

“We’re going to infiltrate the meteor and blow it up from the inside, using a combination of Roy’s nuclear reactor and my dragon’s ether fire.”

“Doesn’t leave you guys with a lot of escape options.”

“Nothing we aren’t aware of.”

The reality of what Toppinir was saying hit Alex. They were talking about sacrificing themselves to take out the meteor. Alex couldn’t believe they would think of something so stupid. The war effort needed them. That was when another plan started forming in Alex’s head.

Instead of speaking her mind, Alex asked, “What do you need from Boundless?”

Roy seemed taken aback by Alex’s willingness to follow orders. “That’s a new note for you.”

“Well, we’re here to help. No matter the cost.”

“If that’s the case, we’ll devise a strategy and relay it to you to give to your team. Dismissed, Bound.”

Alex nodded politely before heading to the ship’s exit. She hit her comm button and patched into Jollies. “Hey, I need you to listen very carefully to what I’m going to tell you right now.”

Chapter Five

Alex took her time rejoining her team. She relayed what Roy and Toppinir had said inside the ship. Both of them were ready to sacrifice themselves to take out the meteor, which seemed like a stupid idea. Two of the best fighters in the war, gone within seconds because they were supposed to be heroes.

What the hell was a hero, anyway? Who was asking them to do this? Was it just understood that they would sacrifice their lives for Middang3ard?

It was a waste, pure and simple, and it was exactly what Alex had come on this mission to try to avoid. Keeping track of what she was supposed to be doing had been hard since the mission had gotten so hectic, but now it was crystal clear.

The mission had been to save Roy and Toppinir. Two veterans blowing themselves up in a giant meteor would be nothing short of failure.

Alex hoped Jollies had paid close attention to the instructions she had been given. There wasn’t a reason to doubt Jollies’ competence. The pixie hadn’t disappointed Alex or the team one time yet. The only reason Alex was worried was that she was asking her teammate to do something that could possibly end up badly for everyone.

Alex’s comm dinged, and she pulled up her HUD to see what she had received. The briefing for Roy and Toppinir’s mission had gone out. It included details for what everyone was expected to do and, in no uncertain terms, informed them of Roy’s and Toppinir’s decision.

There were no replies. This wasn’t a discussion. The three squads were expected to arrive at the rendezvous and watch the fireworks. Alex wondered if Roy and Toppinir had really thought this plan through. There had to be another option.

Alex laughed to herself. If there had been another option, she might have thought of it, but she had drawn as much of a blank as the veterans had. It was a very extreme situation, and she guessed it warranted extreme measures.

The rest of the squads would be heading over to the rendezvous about now. Alex wasn’t ready to go yet. She didn’t think she was ever going to be ready.

Alex sat down on the grassy hill, leaned back, and looked up at the meteor. The thing was swelling, growing larger. She knew it. Yet it was also the same, unchanged. Whatever was in the meteor was responsible.

Even though it held signs of death, of destruction, the sky was rather beautiful. The red and black clouds had finally disappeared. In their place was a blue and blank sky with a thin green hue. The meteor stood in for the sun, covered in a hazy jade cloud.

For the first time in her life, Alex thought of taking a picture. She laughed at having such a mundane desire. She was standing on the precipice of the biggest decision of her short life, and all she could think of doing was taking a picture.

Alex slipped off her visor, turned it around, and snapped a photo of herself smiling, the meteor behind her. She looked at the photo. The tears in her eyes were visible. She wiped them away and took another one.

No tears this time.

Alex checked this photo. Good enough. She pulled the visor on again and hit the digital keyboard. A holographic keyboard appeared in front of her, and she typed a message to her parents. She would have preferred a video message, but she wasn’t sure she could keep her voice calm.

I love you a lot. You’ll never know how much because I’ll never be able to tell you, not in the right words. But you have to know I do because you raised me to be the way I am. I can’t thank you enough for being the kind of parents you are.

Tears were slowly streaming down Alex’s face. She wiped them off and kept typing.

Something happened here. I don’t know what being a hero is. I don’t know what makes people do stupid things. So, if anyone ever asks, I wasn’t trying to be a hero. I was trying to do something smart. I’m really sorry. Love, Alex.

Alex sent the message and dropped her visor, wiping away her tears and feeling stupid for crying like a child. Roy and Toppinir hadn’t shed any tears. They had made their decision with straight faces, with determination.

Behind Alex, a twig snapped. Alex jumped to her feet. Gill stood behind her, his eyes glowing in the dark. “I see you’re taking your time getting to the rendezvous,” he said softly.

Alex wiped her face again, hoping Gill didn’t see the tears or the snot. “Just wanted to take a little breather, that’s all.”

“We know what you’re planning to do.”

Alex couldn’t meet Gill’s eyes. Her lip quivered, and she wished she could crawl into a ball. Disappearing would be a close second. Everything felt too real at the moment.

Gill sat down next to Alex. They sat there quietly, watching the meteor above, expanding and contracting as if it were tearing open reality. Whatever was behind the meteor was beautiful. Alex didn’t know what it was. She knew it was beautiful, though.

Gill rested his hand on Alex’s and squeezed her fingers encouragingly. “I’m assuming there isn’t anything we can say that’ll change your mind?”

Alex shook her head as she fought back tears. Talking was making it worse.

“Jim is going with you,” Gill told her.

Alex threw back her head, tears trickling down her face, staring up at the meteor—at her destiny. There was no point in fighting it anymore. She might as well accept what was happening. “He can’t. He’s not invited. I can’t let him throw his life away.”

“Surprisingly, that’s what almost anyone would say to you. And it wasn’t a question. Jim said he was going. None of us can stop him. Just like none of us can stop you.”

“Did you come here to tell me that?” Alex asked.

“I assumed you needed someone to talk to. Jim couldn’t come. He’s too busy. Jollies can’t believe this is happening. She’s trying to talk Brath into tying you up or something. So, here I am. Figured you could use a friend right now.”

Alex leaned her head on Gill’s shoulder. “Appreciate it,” she said softly, her voice cracking. “Gill, I’m scared. I’m really scared.”

She didn’t need to say it aloud. Her body was trembling, her skin like ice. The tears hadn’t stopped, though they had slowed. Above, the meteor still watched like a menacing eye.

Gill put his arm around Alex’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head. “Anyone would be. It’s okay to be afraid. It doesn’t make you weak. I couldn’t do what you’re doing. Never.”

“What do drows think happens after you die?”

He chuckled softly. “It isn’t a very encouraging belief we hold. You might want to talk to a pixie about that.”

“Just tell me.”

“Nothing. You just stop existing. That’s why it’s so important to enjoy life while you have it. To live as well as you can by your standards because you only have one life.”

Alex leaned forward and wiped her face again. Sniffed loudly and spat. “You know, that’s kinda encouraging. Gotta make the one count for something. Might as well get to it.”

She stood and brushed the grass off herself. She felt the meteor watching her. It was unblinking. No need to blink since it could see everything. It could see deep within her.

There was a screeching sound somewhere far away. Alex could hear it, but she wasn’t sure where it was coming from. It must have been close by, though.

When she woke up, blood was dripping from her nose. She was in the fetal position, her hands cupped around her ears, whispering words she didn’t understand. Her chest was tight, and her head hurt the way it had when she’d first started using her eyes.

Gill knelt next to her, peering down at her, his bright eyes catching the little bit of light still in the evening sky. This wouldn’t be a bad last image before death, she thought before becoming concerned about why she was on the ground. “What happened?” she asked.

The drow looked very concerned. “You tell me. You were standing, and suddenly you fell over. You spoke the Old Tongue. I couldn’t understand what you were saying.”

“The Old Tongue?”

“Old words of magic, magic that predates humans. I’m pretty sure those words weren’t coming from you.”

“Where from, then?”

Gill pointed up at the meteor. There was no denying it this time. The meteor was definitely larger than it had been when they had first arrived at the valley. “Whatever is in there,” he said. “Maybe it’s trying to talk to you.”

“Why me?”

“You are the one planning on killing it, aren’t you?”

* * *

Alex met up with the rest of Team Boundless, and they all headed to the rendezvous for the dragonriders and mechs. No one mentioned the plan, but it was palpable. It was the feeling of electricity, the scent of a grave, the cold chill of death.

They took their places amongst the other mech and dragonriders, waiting for Roy and Toppinir to arrive. If Alex was being honest with herself, the whole affair was a little gaudier than she would have imagined. It made sense, though. The vets had been with their squads for years. Leaving without saying goodbye would have been cruel.

The mech and dragonriders stood at attention, patiently waiting. They didn’t speak amongst themselves. They watched the podium in front of the ship, where Manny floated in silence.

Manny looked uncomfortable. Maybe it was because he feared the riders would blame him for the loss of their commanders. How could they not? He was always the one bringing orders, showing up when things could only get worse.

A shadow hung over the gathering, cast by the meteor. The sky had changed even further. Gone was the green hue. Now images flashed behind the meteor, images which could not be understood, changing rapidly.

Jim described it to Alex as a television on the fritz or with bad reception. “There’s something back there,” he whispered. “That meteor’s doing more than just sitting in the sky.”

Alex understood what Jim was saying. “We’re going to be the lucky ones who get to find out, right? You know what they say about curiosity.”

“I prefer to think about the satisfaction part.”

Alex grabbed Jim’s hand. Even with all the confusion with Gill, this is what she had imagined ever since she had first seen Jim’s avatar. “You know you don’t have to do this,” Alex whispered. “I’m not going to ask you to.”

Jim curled his fingers around Alex’s. “No one has asked me to do anything, just like no one asked you to do this. But like I said before, I’ll follow you anywhere, Alex. Period.”

“All right. Let’s leave it at that.”

Roy and Toppinir finally descended from the ship. They stood in front of the podium, looking out at the silent audience. Toppinir was the one to speak. “All right,” he started, “I’m not going to drag this out. That meteor is coming down. Today. It’s been a pleasure serving with you all.”

Toppinir stepped back and Roy went forward. “Hm. It’s gonna be hard to top that,” Roy joked. “Toppinir and I aren’t coming back from this, but you already knew that. I’ve seen a lot of crazy people in my day, but none as crazy as you. Every mission, you pull our asses out of the fire. This time it’s our turn.”

Roy raised his dragon anchor to the sky and his mech plummeted to earth, landing behind him. Its cockpit popped open as Toppinir’s dragon uncurled from the top of the ship and crawled down. Toppinir mounted as Roy climbed into his mech.

Alex nudged Jim and whispered to Jollies, “Let’s do this.”

Jollies flew off as Jim left the crowd. Alex watched Jim walk away with a lump in her throat. She had no problem accepting responsibility for herself, but being responsible for Jim, her oldest friend, felt wrong. But it didn’t matter. Alex raised her dragon anchor.

Chine came swooping out of the sky and grabbed Alex in his claws. He landed on the podium and shot a stream of fire into the sky in front of Roy and Toppinir as Alex climbed onto his back. “You guys can’t go up there,” Alex shouted.

Roy popped his head out of the mech. “Alex, this isn’t up for discussion. You see what the meteor is doing, right? It’s tearing up friggin’ reality! We need to deal with it.”

“Okay, sure, it needs to be dealt with, but it doesn’t have to be you two. Myrddin needs you. We need you.”

Toppinir shook his head, his eyes sad and heavy. “We aren’t going to ask anyone to sacrifice their lives on a gamble,” he explained. “We can’t do that.”

Alex slammed her hand to her chest. “You don’t have to ask anyone. I’ll do it.”

Roy’s face flashed red with anger as he ground his teeth. “We get it, you have a death wish,” he lectured. “But we aren’t going to entrust a mission this important to a cadet. It’s not happening. Now, will you kindly get the hell out of our way.”

Jim’s mech climbed onto the stage next to Alex. “We’re taking care of the meteor, sir. This is out of your hands.”

As Jim and Alex argued with the two veterans, Jollies zipped around the stage faster than any eyes other than Alex’s and Manny’s could see. Yet Manny stayed quiet, watching from the sidelines as events unfolded in front of him.

Jollies flew back to Alex and whispered in her ear, “All right, you’re good. Uh, I think you’re a great person. I love you. I mean, as a friend. You know what I mean. Whatever. I love you, and I’m going to miss you.” Jollies kissed Alex on the cheek and flew away, crying.

Alex fought back her tears. Now wasn’t the time. She pulled up on Chine and they took to the sky, Jim right behind her.

Roy shouted, “What the hell are you doing? Get back here!” He got back in his cockpit and powered up his mech. The machine surged forward for a second before whining loudly. It leaned to the side, struggling to stay up. “What the hell is going on?”

Toppinir pulled up on his dragon, but before it could take off, his dragon anchor started buzzing and sparking. The dragon anchor shut down, severing Toppinir’s link to his dragon.

Jollies watched from the crowd, holding a bundle of cords and wires in her hand—the missing pieces from Toppinir’s anchor and Roy’s mech.

Above Jollies, Gill, and Brath, the two human riders, one dragon, the other mech, raced toward the meteor drifting in the sky.

Chapter Six

The meteor had changed. There was no doubt now that Alex was closer. It had grown.

Substantially.

There was no longer a sky. The meteor seemed to have bled into it. There was no distinction between the two, only the green mist around the meteor.

Distance was an abstract concept at this point, as was time. Alex felt that for as long as she and Jim had been riding, they should have been closer. The extent of the meteor’s influence was difficult to distinguish, but Alex knew it was responsible.

Whatever was inside the meteor was much more powerful than Holmorth had been, and extremely dangerous.

Alex felt like an insignificant speck compared to the sheer size of the meteor. It was nearly as big as an island. She couldn’t see where it began or where it ended. Finding the spot where they had broken off a chunk earlier was impossible.

Jim’s voice crackled over the comm. “That’s not normal, is it?”

“Nope. That thing is definitely not normal.”

Alex stopped flying. She just floated, watching the meteor above her. It was entrancing. She didn’t know why, but she could keep looking at it forever.

Jim rested next to her. “How long have we been flying?”

Alex looked down at her dragon anchor. “Says here we’ve been flying for twelve hours,” she murmured.

“No freaking way! We just took off. We did just take off, didn’t we?”

Alex sat down on Chine’s back and shrugged. “I have no idea. Nothing up here makes any sense. Like that,” she said, pointing to the little bit of sky that could be seen behind the meteor, or perhaps the place where the meteor was most sky-like. “What the hell is that?”

A sharp pain pulsed through Alex’s head, the same one that had brought her to the ground earlier. There was more pain this time, a hot flash, and then a sledgehammer cracking her skull open. Alex didn’t fall down this time. She stayed conscious as her nose started to bleed.

It knew she was coming. Alex couldn’t tell if whatever the meteor hid was scared or angry.

“You ever think you were going to die young?” Jim asked.

Up above, stars streaked by across the surface of the meteor, flaming balls of fire. “Not really,” Alex answered. “I didn’t really think about dying before. I guess it seemed like it was still pretty far away. My parents are pretty young, so it’s not like it was on their mind or anything.”

“My dad was afraid I was going to die young. You know, I don’t think I ever told you this, but I almost died when I was a kid. Hospital ER and everything.”

Alex glanced at Jim, who was poking his head out of his cockpit. He seemed so far away, as if his face were dragging miles and miles behind him. “No, we don’t talk about a lot of personal stuff,” she said. “What happened?”

Jim was quiet for a little bit, but when he started talking, Alex could hardly understand him. She didn’t have to, though. Up above Jim’s head, something like a movie was playing. She saw a small child waiting at a crosswalk. The child was reading a book, completely absorbed.

The child looked both ways, then stuck one foot out onto the street. Then the other. As the child crossed the street, a car came rocketing around the corner. It struck the child, and then everything was red. Everything was fractured.

Alex caught the last thing Jim said. “That’s why everyone calls me Jaws,” he explained. “Cause of the metal jaw I got.”

“Did you talk to your parents? Before we left?”

Jim looked sad when he answered. “No, I didn’t. And I didn’t leave a message. I know my dad. It would mess him up pretty bad to hear it from me. My voice and stuff. It’d be better if the military told him. He could handle that.”

Something like a projection of waves moving back and forth could be seen across the meteor. They were dancing with each other. Part of Alex wished the rest of the squad could see what she was seeing. It was beautiful.

The waves continued rolling, crashing against a large white wall. A cliff. There was someone standing atop the cliff. Alex. She was watching the waves. They were calling to her.

Alex watched as the waves parted. Her body lay on the ocean floor—broken, her eyes staring at her other self. Then the waves shifted and covered her corpse.

“We’re still here, right?” Alex asked.

Jim was staring at the meteor. “I think so. It’s hard to tell. This isn’t anything like the last time we were up here,” he answered. “This is…really freaky.”

Chine’s voice came through Alex’s head, fuzzy and clear at the same time, like something crawling around in her skull. It’s a psychic projection. Whatever is inside the meteor is boosting the psychic connection of everything around it.

Alex had no idea what any of that meant. Could you say it in English, please?

Our bond is psychic. The meteor is binding everything together. Somewhat. Not as strong as our bond, but there is a connection, and it’s dripping into the air.

Do you think they can see it down below?

Definitely, but it looks different to them. Much like it looks different to each of us.

Is it an attack?

I’m not certain. It could be, but it’s difficult to tell. Be on your guard.

Jim turned to Alex. His face was the only thing that made sense under the sway of the meteor above. At least Jim was constant. “I wouldn’t have thought this would be the result of me playing a video game.” He chuckled.

Alex giggled despite herself, despite where she was, despite the world falling apart around her. “Yeah, I wouldn’t have guessed this would have come from that either,” she admitted. “I’d probably get a refund if I could.”

“You know, if I was ever going to do a heroic, hardcore, one-life playthrough, it would have been with you.” Jim’s face had gone serious, and he clenched and unclenched his fists. “You know, I kinda like you. A lot.”

The lump in Alex’s throat disappeared. “Yeah, I know. I like you too. A lot.”

“Cool. Would it be corny if we kissed? Before we go off and blow ourselves up?”

“Let’s wait until we blow ourselves up. Promise.”

Alex stood, not wanting to ruin the moment but aware she had no choice. Up above, the meteor was changing. It was becoming something else while still increasing in size, spreading across the entire sky of Middang3ard.

A slit opened in the meteor, showing fold upon fold of what looked like flesh. The flesh quivered and gaped, dripping mucus as something with large, spindly legs forced its way through the fold’s membrane.

Alex re-anchored herself to Chine, and the dragon started moving. “Come on. Looks like we’re going to have to fight our way into the meteor.”

Jim slid his cockpit shut and asked over the comm, “Why would I have assumed we wouldn’t?”

Bats and bees burst from the mucous membrane of the meteor and swarmed around the opening, much like before. The only difference was there were thousands more of them. It reminded Alex of the last mission in Middang3ard VR. “Let’s do this!” Alex shouted before taking off.

Jim was right behind Alex as they flew toward the swarming mass of monsters.

The monsters turned to the riders and attacked. Bats rushed them. Alex took evasive action, still trying to force her way to the meteor. There were too many bats, though. She was going to have to thin the flock.

Alex slammed her fist to her chest, unleashing her dragon anchor’s power. Her body and Chine’s burst into flames as they swerved to the outside of the swarm of creatures hellbent on their destruction. Chine let loose a funnel of ether fire, scorching through a handful of bats.

A bee came in high, swooping down and trying to take off Alex’s head with its stinger. Alex pulled out her scythe and sliced through the bee, splitting its body in two.

Jim was having his own problems. He was unable to move as fast as Alex, but he had a huge amount of firepower. He fired a volley of missiles as he doubled back, getting himself into a better position and locking on to as many targets as he could. Conserving his missiles was a must.

The sky filled with the sound of Jim’s guns as he mowed through as many bees and bats as he could.

Alex swung over to where Jim had made his stand. Chine activated his gravity well, causing the creatures closest to Alex to bunch together as if they were magnetized. Then the dragon kicked the cluster of creatures toward the meteor.

Once Alex was positioned beside Jim, Chine unleashed another torrent of ether fire at the swarm of bees and bats heading for him. The scent of scorched flesh filled the air. “We’re doing it,” Jim shouted. “We’re cutting through them!”

It was too soon for Alex to celebrate. She was busy watching the flesh in the center of the meteor. It was quivering again, which meant something else was coming. She knew that whatever it was, it was going to make the bats and bees look like nothing.

First, two alabaster legs shot out as if something was being birthed. The legs were long and insectoid, and two more quickly followed. Then a head, sharp and elongated, burst through. The thing roared, showing rows of sharp teeth.

The creature’s back was arched as if it had once had wings. Its bones protruded from its back, giving the impression its spine was going to burst free—and then it did. The creature’s back tore open. Two beautiful, angelic, feathered wings sprang from the wound.

The creature flapped its wings as it screamed its bloodlust, then took to the sky. It was followed by another creature, and then another.

Within seconds, the meteor’s fold was ripped open as thousands of the winged angels came pouring out of the rock’s gash.

Jim sighed loudly over the comm. “Guess, I spoke too soon.”

Now wasn’t the time for despair. The moment their hope faltered, this was over. She needed Jim to stay with her. That was the only way they were going to get into the heart of the meteor. “We got this, Jaws,” Alex shouted. “Those things can die just like anything else.”

And Alex proved it. She leaned forward, sending the dragon rocketing toward the angels, spewing fire as she swung her scythe and hacked through anything in her way. The bees and bats fell as she neared the angels.

Most of the angels were still congregated on the meteor. Gravity wasn’t working the usual way on it. The angels clung to the surface, walking upside down, hissing at Alex’s approach.

Alex hit the side of the meteor hard, unleashing a blast of ether fire as her anchor’s power wore off. She leaped off Chine and charged for the closest angel. The creature reared up on its hind legs and slashed at Alex, who dodged out of the way and cut it open.

Behind Alex, the dragon was burning through as many angels as he could while the bees and bats swarmed around them, trying to cut off access to the meteor’s opening. “Come on, Jaws,” Alex shouted. “We’re getting in there!”

Jim hit his thrusters and plowed through the bees and bats in front of him, shooting anything that made the mistake of being in his way. Dozens of bats and bees fell to the ground as Jim forced his way through the wall of bodies.

It only took a few minutes for Jim to land next to Alex. He killed his thrusters and hit his leg stabilization, sinking his mech’s feet into the surface with a heavy whirring of gears. Then he popped out of his cockpit and winked at Alex. “I’m with you, Captain. To the end,” he said.

The angels were still swarming out of the meteor’s opening. There was no sign they would stop anytime soon.

This was where Alex was making her stand. They weren’t far from the opening. All they had to do was keep moving forward. As long as they were moving, they were alive.

Chine was right behind Alex, shooting fireballs as Alex took a step, slicing through an angel in her way. Another angel leaped at Alex. The dragon grabbed the angel, slamming it into the ground.

Six angels leaped onto Chine, sinking their teeth into his scales. The dragon roared as he rolled over, trying to crush the angels under his weight.

Alex saw Chine in pain and ran to his side, sliding across the meteor, hacking through the legs of the angels in her way as she went. She was so close. Then she felt a cold hand clutch the back of her neck, and she was flying through the air before she realized it.

The wind went out of Alex when she hit the meteor. Her vision went blurry for a moment before she was able to pick herself up. She grabbed her scythe and took in the scene before her.

They were being overrun. Angels were pouring over Chine like ants over a dead body. The same with Jim, who was firing every gun he had, his head poking out of the cockpit, his face slathered in blood and viscera.

This was it. This was Alex’s last stand.

Two jets of fire scorched the meteor, burning through the angels attacking Chine and Jim. Alex looked up to see where they had come from.

Brath, Gill, and Jollies were racing toward her, firing everything they had at the angels, bats, and bees overwhelming Jim and Alex. “You thought we were going to let you have all the fun?” Brath shouted as Furi unleashed another torrent of fire.

The rest of Team Boundless burned through the angels blocking the meteor’s opening. There was just enough space for Alex and Jim to storm the meteor.

There was so much Alex wanted to say to the rest of the team. There wasn’t time for it, though. Instead, she smiled and saluted them. Then she climbed back onto Chine and took off, Jim following closely behind.

Chapter Seven

Once Alex and Jim passed into the meteor, everything changed. The temperature rose drastically. Neither of them could hear anything from outside the meteor, despite being only a few feet from the opening.

If Alex’d had more time, she would have stepped in and out of the meteor to see if this was all in her mind, but that didn’t matter right now. Hopefully, the meteor wouldn’t exist for very long anyway.

As Alex and Jim flew through the interior tunnel, Alex weighed their likelihood of success. The plan had been Roy’s and Toppinir’s. She had no idea what their odds of success had been. They must have been fairly high, though. Both men had been willing to bet their lives on it.

But what if something went wrong? The meteor had grown since Roy and Toppinir had initially planned to blow it up. Or was it an illusion?

Alex didn’t know what was real anymore. What she had seen outside as she and Jim were closing in on the meteor had left a lot of questions. Chine had said it was some kind of psychic projection. That meant it wasn’t real, right?

None of those questions were bringing Alex or Jim any closer to what they were looking for—the core of the meteor. There was something powering the object, and they needed to find where it was and destroy it.

Alex pulled up her HUD visor and peered through it. She was looking for a source of energy, anything giving off a power or heat signal. There was nothing. As far as she could tell, the meteor was all one temperature.

The only thing Alex had to go on was the brief glimpse she’d had of the interior when she was looking through Manny’s eyes. For the first time in a while, Alex wished Manny had come along for the ride. He would have hated this, though.

A pang of regret stabbed Alex in the chest. She pushed it down. Thinking about how much she was going to miss that floating mass of eyeballs wasn’t going to help anyone. Still, it hurt to think about it.

Alex and Jim flew out of the tunnel into a vast, empty space. It was difficult to imagine this place was in the meteor, considering how large it was.

The walls were lined with holes. It would be easy enough for Chine and Jim’s mech to fit through them. The problem was that Alex had no idea where they went. Each tunnel was a shot in the dark.

Jim poked his head out of his cockpit before climbing out of his mech and sitting on top of it. “You know what’s really weird?” he asked. “I haven’t seen one monster since we got here. Do you think the meteor sent all its forces out when we attacked it?”

Alex shook her head. That seemed too good to be true, but the other option was terrifying. If all those angels hadn’t been the majority of the meteor’s forces, how many could be hiding and waiting for them?

Jim shrugged before getting back into his mech. “Either way, we should probably be careful. Getting ambushed in this creepy-ass place sounds horrifying. So, which one do you want to start with?”

Alex looked around the room, trying to figure out which tunnel to choose. “You know, maybe they weren’t expecting us to get in,” she mused. “That was a pretty crazy fight out there, and it’s not like there’s any surveillance equipment around. Maybe we’re a surprise.”

“I’d be surprised if the magical meteor floating in the sky and distorting reality had to rely on cameras to know we were present.”

“Good point. We should get moving in case there are more of these creepy things in here. How about that one?” Alex asked, pointing to the largest tunnel near the ground.

“Works for me.”

Jim and Alex descended into the room. When they landed, both of them gasped.

The floor was covered in a mix of eggs and plants. The plants had bulbous purple sacs with a stem reaching up to the ceiling. They were roughly three feet tall and gave off a disgustingly sweet smell.

There were thousands of them clustered tightly together.

Alex flipped up her HUD visor and took a picture of the floor, which she sent to Roy and Toppinir. “Whatever the hell these things are, it’s not good. Even if we blow this thing up, I’d like to know Roy and Toppinir will destroy them if any manage to escape the explosion.”

Jim had exited his cockpit again and was staring intently at the egg sacs. “Yeah, these things give me a really bad feeling.” He shuddered. “We should get going. I don’t want to be here when those things crack open.”

They made their way to the tunnel she had pointed out and flew through it. While they were passing through, Alex aimed a light at the wall.

The walls of the tunnel were covered in writing etched deep into the rock. Alex recorded a little bit of the writing and sent it to Gill. “This place keeps getting weirder and weirder,” she muttered to herself. “You ever see anything like this, Jim?”

Jim’s voice crackled a little over the comm. “Yeah, I have,” he answered. “They’re runes, Nordic or something. I used to play a game that had a lot of Norse mythology. Some of the puzzles used runes as a device. I don’t know what they mean, though. I’ve never seen most of them.”

Norse runes? In a meteorite filled with evil monsters that was above Middang3ard? Yeah, things could definitely get stranger.

Alex hardly knew anything about Norse mythology. She’d studied the bare minimum of Norse history for her homeschooling classes. All she knew was that there were warrior gods, and the Vikings were always invading someplace.

Maybe that’s all this was. The meteor was just a ship for an invasion. Wouldn’t that be something?

The tunnel Alex and Jim were taking split into three different paths. The two of them banked right and continued on, heading farther into the maze of tunnels. They began to feel lost. Alex wondered if they were getting any closer to the center or if they were just flying in circles.

Jim pinged Alex and she hit her comm. “Hey, you know that energy scan you did a while ago? I just did another one, and I’m starting to pick up some energy discharges. You should run another one and let me know what you get.”

“Gotcha.”

Alex swiped up her visor and ran the scan again. Jim was right. There was an energy discharge coming from somewhere in the tunnel. She locked onto it and said, “All right, now we have something to work with.”

The two of them sped toward the signature. It wasn’t easy since the tunnels they were in didn’t always lead in the right direction. There was a lot of backtracking and doubt, but Alex knew they were getting closer because her head was hurting more. Whatever had caused her headaches before was in here.

Chine squeezed through a new tunnel, wiggling to make it larger for himself. I don’t have a good feeling about this

Alex directed her thoughts to the dragon. What do you mean? We’re on a suicide mission. What would you feel good about?

The energy we are moving toward is powerful. More powerful than I thought. Much more.

So what? Doesn’t mean it won’t blow up. We’ll be cool, Chine. And by cool, I mean we’re going to blow this thing sky-high. Trust me.

I do trust you, Dustling. You have great courage.

Alex realized she hadn’t talked to the dragon about what she had decided to do. When the meteor blew, it wasn’t just going to take Jim and Alex. He was going to be caught in the blast as well. Oh, my God, Chine, I didn’t even ask you about all this. I am so sorry.

There is nothing to apologize for, Dustling. Where you go, I go. We are bound to each other. Our lives will always be intertwined.

I still don’t understand the whole binding thing. Have you got a minute to explain it to me?

It is a binding of fates. Mortals don’t understand life outside of themselves, even the long-lived ones such as dragons and elves. There is always fate. It is unseen and unheard, but it can be touched. In our case, our fates have been bound together until our death.

Alex laughed as Chine took a hard left. You know, that’s almost romantic

Chine did not laugh. No, it is not. You do not want to know the extent of bonding that dragons find romantic.

Maybe I don’t. Let’s just leave it at that.

They flew in silence for some time before Alex spoke again. Are you cool with this? I mean, you’re not an old dragon.

And you are not an old human. To answer your question, yes. Yes, I am okay with this. The Dark One’s forces must be stopped. I am happy to help in any way I can. There is purpose in that. Solace, even.

Alex checked her visor for the power signature. They were very close. “Hey, Jim, I think the power source is coming up in a little bit,” she called. “Maybe to the left this time…I hope.”

Jim answered, “I’m glad you are taking care of directions. I have absolutely no idea where we are, but left it is.”

Alex and Jim turned left and exited the tunnel into an open space much like the room full of eggs they had seen when they entered the meteor. “Ugh, I hope this isn’t another gross room,” Alex groaned. “I’d like to die without being covered in goop.”

Jim’s mech pointed at the ceiling. “Alex, look!”

Alex followed Jim’s finger and looked up.

The ceiling was covered in what could only be called veins. They were massive things, as big around as a bus, pumping and quivering. They were crisscrossed like a spider’s web, hanging from the rock of the meteor.

In the middle of the ceiling was a thing like an eye but not made of flesh. It hung from a bundle of veins like a piece of rotting fruit. The energy was coming from that.

Alex and Jim landed at the bottom of the room. Thankfully, there were no eggs. “What the hell is that?” Alex asked as she stared at the ceiling.

Jim exited his mech, staring up at the red mucus-covered eye hanging over them. “I have no idea, but that’s the energy source. Whatever it is, it’s in control of this whole place.”

“You see those things all over the ceiling? They look like feelers or tendrils. Or like earthworms.”

“I don’t care what they look like. I just want to know if this is the place we’re supposed to be blowing up.”

Alex jumped off of Chine and paced around. “You know, maybe this whole ‘sacrificing ourselves for the good of existence’ thing doesn’t have to happen,” she said, thinking aloud.

Jim asked, “Are you seriously thinking about backing out now?”

“Hardly. I’m just thinking, we didn’t know there was this much energy coming off that thing when we got here. Maybe we can just pull the plug on it. And if we can’t do that, we could set off your mech. Start a chain reaction and get out of here before it blows.”

Jim thought about the plan Alex had just proposed. “You know, that’s not a bad idea,” he finally assented. “And I’m pretty stoked about the part where we don’t die.”

“Yeah, that’s kind of my favorite part of the whole thing, too,” Alex agreed. “If we make it out alive, I’m gonna want more than a peck from you. Full-on Twilight, all right?”

Jim blushed brightly but didn’t turn away. “I can definitely promise you some Twilight-level sparks,” he boasted.

“Great. Let’s do this.”

Alex climbed atop Chine and anchored herself. Let’s go, buddy.

Chine didn’t move. The dragon stayed rooted to where he was, staring at the eye above them. I can’t. I can’t move.

What do you mean, you can’t move?

The eye or whatever it is is keeping me from moving. The headaches we’ve been having, the psychic projection outside the meteor—it’s all telepathy, coming from above.

Alex couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Are you telling me that thing is alive?

It is alive and aware of me. I do not think it has recognized you or Jim yet.

Alex wracked her brain, trying to figure out what options she had. If Chine couldn’t move, she couldn’t get close enough to the eye to do any damage. Then a gamble popped into Alex’s head. Hey, Chine, did you mean what you said about me becoming a strong psychic?

Chine groaned as he tried to move. I do not see why that is important at the moment, but yes. You have a tremendous amount of raw talent.

How about we find out right now? Can you boost my whatever the hell it is strong enough that I can connect with that thing? Maybe I can force it to release you, or at least take a look at what we all look like from up there.

Alex, I think that is a very bad—

We don’t have a whole lot of options right now. Can you help me or not?

Chine was quiet for a moment. Finally, he said, Yes. I can. But I will not be able to help you past that.

Great. That was just icing on the cake. Wouldn’t have it any other way, my dude. Patch me in.

Chapter Eight

Alex did not close or open her eyes. She did not know when the change came, but it had been sudden, and she was no longer in the same place in time. Wherever she was now was a place outside of all that. She was aware of very little. Her body? Her mind? Perhaps they were here. She did not know.

All around, nothing but darkness beyond anything Alex had ever experienced. Darker than blindness, darker than the years spent alone, fumbling through books with her fingers. Darker than the quiet dreams that brought her screaming into the waking world.

Alex tried to feel around, tried to grasp where she was, tried to make sense of what she was experiencing. It did not last long. Each moment she spent trying to understand what she was experiencing made it more difficult to grasp.

In the darkness, there was a light. It was not bright, nor was it dark, yet it was all-consuming. Alex saw it, and she did not see it. In any other situation, the paradox would have driven her wild. Now, it was merely the current state of affairs.

Alex had heard many times in life that you were never supposed to go toward the light. Obviously, she would. Curiosity never faded. In or out of her body, Alex needed to know.

The light was humming. It was the hum of something lifeless, of machines working without any knowledge, of a bug zapper waiting for its next kill.

Alex went to the light. She could not tell if she was running, but she was moving as fast as she could. It wouldn’t be long now.

Blinding—that was the only word Alex could think of, and she understood the irony. She stood before the light, watching it, waiting to see what was going to happen.

Somewhere out in the dark, someone was speaking. Alex couldn’t hear what they were saying, nor did she care. It was just noise. The light was interesting. There was something special about the light. That was why Alex was here, fighting her way through the darkness. It had something to do with the light.

Then it was gone. There had been no warning. The light simply disappeared. Then the darkness disappeared as well.

A young boy stood before Alex. The child only came up to Alex’s waist. She had no idea how old the child was because there was a mask over his face. The mask was made of wood—a deer with swooping horns, the face painted with white chalk.

The boy’s black eyes peered from behind the mask. “What are you doing here?”

Alex felt like she should kneel to be on the same level as the child, but she remembered what Brath had told her about insulting gnomes. “I’m not sure,” Alex admitted. “What are you doing here?”

The masked boy pointed into the darkness. “I’m traveling,” he said. “There’s a place I’m going. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anyone. What’s your name?”

“Alex. Alex Bound. What about you?”

If the boy heard her question, he gave no sign of it.

Seeing he wouldn’t answer her question, at least not now, she asked, “What are you waiting for?”

“I’ll remember when I see it.”

The darkness grew bright with runes, shining as if they were stars—the same rune, over and over as far as the darkness extended. Alex wished she knew what the rune stood for. Its repetition brought no insight into its meaning.

The masked boy started to walk. It did not seem as if he thought he would be followed, but Alex walked after the boy. “Is there anyone else here?” Alex asked.

The boy stopped. It was not as if he stopped walking, but rather that his body no longer had any weight. It was as if he shimmered in and out of existence, waiting to be called back, yet unwilling to wait for the calling. “Yes, there’s someone else,” the boy answered.

“Can you take me to him?” Alex asked.

“Sure. He’s cruel, though. I’m not sure you would like him.”

The two walked through the darkness, the light flickering around them like the darkness was filled with thousands of pixies. “Do you like him?” Alex asked. “Do you want to hang out with him?”

The boy stopped walking, looking around as if there were answers to be divined in the darkness, in this place where there was nothing but everything at once. “No, I don’t,” the boy said. “I don’t like him at all. But I’m stuck with him. Bound to him.”

Alex thought of Chine and their intertwined destinies before answering, “Yeah, I know what you mean. At least, I think I do.”

The two continued walking, pilgrims of the night, unaware of that which they strode toward, yet heading toward it nonetheless.

Alex could not tell when her legs started to hurt, nor when she realized she had legs. Slowly, memories came flooding back to her. None of this was real. This was a psychic projection—Chine had told her that—but she wasn’t outside anymore, so It couldn’t be a projection. She was inside something.

The masked boy stopped walking and pointed to the light. “Go in there,” the boy said. “That’s where he is. The one you want to talk to.”

Alex, against her better judgment, knelt and looked the boy in the eye. She reached out and touched his mask. The boy didn’t protest. Alex pulled the mask off.

The unmasked child did not have black eyes. One was the brightest, clearest blue Alex had ever seen. The other was a black hole as dark as death. The boy’s face was covered in soft freckles, and his hair was sandy blonde. Even though he couldn’t have been any older than ten, his eyes held the age of the ancients. “What’s your name?” Alex asked.

The boy was silent, his lip quivering as if he were uncertain of being able to speak such a profane thing. “Forni,” the boy finally said. “That is what everyone calls me.”

“It was nice to meet you, Forni.”

“You too.”

With that, the boy was gone. Alex stood alone before the light. Her heart was racing. With Forni gone, Alex remembered why she was in the darkness and what she was doing. She was looking for a way to save Middang3ard, and that way seemed to be in the light.

Alex took a deep breath and stepped inside.

A shriek tore through Alex’s head, heard and unheard. She thought it had just been in her head until she opened her eyes. Then she saw the truth.

The light was emanating from a black hole, a large tear in reality. Planets, stars, and time were swirling around it. Alex felt drawn to the black hole, but she refused to move.

That was when the eye focused on Alex. It came from the black hole, but she did not know how. She could not see the eye, but she could feel it watching her, peering into her, piercing her skin, crawling through her chest. The eye saw every single thing.

Alex did not know when she began screaming, but she feared she would never stop.

Before her was an eye, nothing more and nothing less. It floated in the blackness, its veins massive and terrible, quivering and shaking as it rolled its iris toward Alex, slow and awful as the tide of a tsunami.

The eye trembled, and the darkness swelled and screeched as Alex stood before it, wishing she could run and knowing there was nowhere she could flee. How are you here? came a voice, crashing through Alex’s head.

The sheer power of it reduced Alex to tears. She did not know when she fell, but she embraced the darkness beneath her, screaming to cover the reverberating words echoing in her brain.

HOW ARE YOU HERE?

Alex felt her mind unraveling. It was not a slow process. There was sanity, and there was insanity. She almost slipped from one to the other.

No, she thought to herself. You are here for a reason. The mission. Remember the mission.

Alex forced herself to stand. Her nose was pouring blood and her head was pounding, but she made it to her feet. “Who gives a crap?” Alex managed. “I’m here. What the hell are you doing here?”

A wave of psychic energy blew past her. It was like having her head ripped open, dissected, and displayed. She tried to hold it together, but it was impossible. Her thoughts lay splayed out for the eye to see.

The eye swelled as its veins grew redder. How dare you? the voice thundered.

Alex felt another wave of energy coming at her. She imagined herself far away, standing atop a castle, looking down at a horde of warriors rushing toward her. The walls would hold. She knew that. “You’re the Dark One, aren’t you?”

There was no answer. The eye continued to twitch and swell. Alex had expected an answer. This gave her an idea. “You are, aren’t you?” she asked again. “I would have expected the Big Bad to be more intimidating. I didn’t know we were fighting a giant eyeball.”

The darkness expanded and then contracted, becoming tangible. Alex felt it creeping across her skin. It didn’t matter, though. She didn’t understand what was going on, but she knew how she was going to play this out. It was a battle of minds, of wills.

The Dark One’s voice lashed out as the eye constricted and then grew larger. How dare you speak to me? Do not dare to question me. You are nothing but a speck. I will crush you.

“Yeah, yeah, okay, I got you, but why are you just an eye? Is that, like, all you got?”

Alex felt her body pull away from her. She had no idea where it went, but she was floating separate from all physicality. She saw the meteor, and she was the meteor, all of its tunnels and corridors stretching out before her as if they were her body.

Another screech ripped through Alex’s mind. The sound was nearly enough to send Alex into the darkness, but she remembered why she was here. She guarded herself, not fully realizing what she was doing, but it worked. The darkness peeled away, showing her the Dark One’s eye.

“What the hell are you?”

The answers came at her faster than she was able to process. There was a meteor, which she could see. A thousand bodies fell into each other, biting and tearing at each other’s flesh. A scream, speaking a language she had never heard.

Alex was on her knees, trembling as the eye quivered. She tried to pull herself together. They’re just thoughts. That’s all, she thought. That’s all.

Then the true nature of the Dark One’s eye was revealed.

Chapter Nine

The Dark One’s eye filled the entirety of the liminal space. Alex was aware that she was both inside and outside of the Dark One. Was this what she always experienced when she looked through someone’s eyes? Was there this much connection?

A force pushed Alex down, and she went skidding across what felt like water. She was drenched when she finally came to a stop. The eye was now the sun beaming down on her

When the Dark One spoke, it radiated through Alex. You are a waste, all of you. A waste of potential. Humanity. Elves. Dwarves. You could all be so much more. I will show you how. Through me, you will know perfection.

Alex watched as a meteor, the same meteor she was currently inside, passed through the sky. The meteor fell to the earth, crashing into the ground, tearing through anything in its path. As the meteor impacted the earth, millions of tendrils slipped out of the rock, latching onto the ground, forcing their way under the soil.

Alex was inside the meteor. Or inside the meteor inside the Dark One’s head within the meteor. It was confusing. She thought it better not to think too much about it. But from inside the meteor, she could see where the tendrils were coming from.

The meteor was hollow. The tunnels Alex and Jim had flown through were paper-thin. That must have been how the meteor had been able to store so many monsters. And now the monsters were gone, the tunnels filled with throbbing red tendrils.

Alex followed the tendrils down the tunnels until she came to their source. She stood before the Dark One, his veins pulsating as his eye quivered. “That’s your big plan?” Alex asked. “You’re the thing Myrddin is so afraid of? A giant parasite?”

The Dark One’s laughter bounced around in Alex’s head, the sound of a thousand screeching voices. No, the Dark One said. I am not even a fraction of what Myrddin fears. This form is merely a vessel for my will. It is nothing more than an old skin cell to me.

“And what are you planning on doing with this old skin cell?”

Expanding. Righting and uplifting. I will become Middang3ard, and the realm will finally be elevated to perfection. The realm will be like me.

Alex giggled and tried to stifle the sound. She thought it might be rude. Then the sheer ludicrousness of The Dark One’s idea made her burst out laughing, holding her sides as the eye watched. “Are you kidding me?” Alex asked, still bubbling with laughter. “That’s your evil scheme? Your manifesto is that you want everyone to be like you?”

When the Dark One spoke, Alex heard something she hadn’t heard from him before. It sounded almost like doubt. I wish for all in existence to be perfected, the Dark One repeated.

“And your idea of perfection is to be exactly like you? I’m assuming you think you’re perfect. You have to, even though you’re a floating eyeball. I mean, realistically, even your dead skin cells should be a shining example of what existence could be. I’m kinda underwhelmed.”

Alex felt herself becoming larger. Maybe it was physical or just in her head, but whatever she had said was making her more powerful. “You think you’re some kind of god, don’t you?” Alex asked. “You really think you’re divine?”

The Dark One’s voice thundered loudly. Do not waste your words, human. You are already beaten. I will crush Middang3ard beneath me and remake it in my image. You have already lost.”

“Oh, my God, you can’t take criticism either. Now you’re going to get all loud and pouty with me because your origin story sucks. Not gonna lie, I’d have to rank you pretty low on the villain spectrum. I’ll give you props for style, though. The whole psychedelic meteor thing was pretty cool.”

The Dark One was vibrating with rage but silent. Alex took a seat, waiting for the Dark One to speak. When the silence began to bore her, Alex said, “You know we haven’t lost. Not even close.”

I will be within Middang3ard’s soil by the end of the night. My power will extend all through the realm, and I will suck it dry until it bends to my will. Then I will reshape it as I please. Every living creature will bear my image within them.

“Yeah, yeah, I gotcha. You’re spending a whole lot of time explaining your master plan to a kid because you’re scared.”

The Dark One said nothing, but the color of the sky changed to a deep crimson. Alex was now floating in a boat. There were no stars in the sky, no clouds. The masked boy sat across from Alex in the rowboat, his knees pulled tight to his chest.

The eye of the Dark One hung heavy in the sky. “Hey,” Alex said to the child. “That thing up there scare you?”

The child looked up at the Dark One’s eye. “Yeah, it does. I don’t like it. Not at all.”

“So, I’m thinking about making that thing go away. How would you feel about that?”

The boy pulled up his mask, his blue eye peering deep into Alex’s soul, his dead eye glowing the same hue as the Dark One’s eye above. “I’d like it to go away,” the boy said.

“What happens to you if the mean guy up there goes away?”

The masked boy pulled his mask back down and looked over the side of the boat. “When he goes, I go too. But maybe it’s better that way.”

Rage, pure unfiltered and destructive, radiated from the Dark One’s eye. He knew what Alex was doing, and he was not pleased.

Alex wasn’t sure what she was doing, but by now, she knew enough to trust her gut. She didn’t need to know what the boy was in relation to the giant eye in the sky, but she could piece together enough to know the boy with the missing eye was somehow related to the Dark One’s eye.

Alex rose, rocking the boat slightly. “All right, kid, it was nice to meet you. I’m going to put a stop to this. Uh, thanks for talking.”

The masked boy leaned over the edge, drawing his hand through the water. “You are right,” the boy said. “He is afraid. That’s why he’s so angry. He wasn’t lying, though. This is only a piece of him. There’re many pieces of him. Of me, I guess. Even when you destroy this version of him, there are more.”

“That’s all right. Just means I gotta kill them all.”

Alex closed her eyes, focused on finding Chine. The world around her melted away and she heard Chine’s heart beating. Hey, I’m ready to get the hell out of here. This place is way too weird. You mind helping me?

Chine’s voice echoed as if he were speaking in an acoustic chamber. Concentrate on your body, Dustling. Bring your mind back to it, he explained.

Oddly enough, Alex didn’t know how to imagine her body at first. She still hadn’t gotten used to seeing her reflection in the mirror. Even if she tried, she couldn’t really think of what she looked like—except her hands. Alex knew her hands better than her features.

She imagined her fingers running over a page of braille, the stammer of the bumps, the edges of the paper as she turned the page.

When Alex opened her eyes, she was lying next to Chine, his wing over her. Jim was sitting at her side, holding her hand. He helped Alex sit up as she rubbed her eyes. “How long?” she asked.

She stumbled to her feet with Jim’s assistance. “Way too long,” Jim answered. “I thought you were dead, but whatever you did in there worked.”

Jim and Alex stepped out from under the dragon’s wing. The eye hanging from the ceiling had changed dramatically. It was still large, but now it looked as if it had been pumped dry of all its fluids. The veins around the eye looked weaker.

Alex anchored herself to Chine as Jim stepped back into his mech. “All right, let’s go ahead and wrap this up. This whole place is hollow like a wasp’s nest, and you know how easy it is to break one of those up. All we need to do is set off your mech, and we’re good to go.”

Alex and Jim took off, flying toward the eye. Alex was glad to put all of this behind her. She could finally go back to the Nest and deal with all the trouble she was going to be in. At the moment, death sounded much easier to handle.

The two riders hovered below the eye as Jim primed his mech for detonation. Once the mech was ready, he climbed into Chine’s extended claw. The dragon tossed Jim onto his back, and Alex anchored Jim’s feet to the dragon. “Cool. Let’s blow this thing,” she said.

Suddenly, Alex felt her body go stiff. It was as if someone had stepped into it. She tried as hard as she could, but she didn’t budge.

Jim noticed Alex’s frozen face. “Everything okay?” he asked.

Before Alex could try to answer, she felt an intense pain in the front of her brain. That pain quickly spread until her entire body was wracked with it. The meteor broke apart around her and she was falling, her mind on fire. A thousand voices jabbered in her head. She didn’t know which was hers. Then a voice louder than any of the others shrieked loud enough to shatter her skull.

The voice took a form that far exceeded what Alex was capable of understanding. Looking upon the form filled her with mindless dread and the desire to run away screaming, to hide and hope she was never found.

“I fear nothing!” the Dark One boomed.

She knew then she was not going to die. What she was going to experience would be a thousand times worse, her mind rotting before her, flailing in the burning presence of the Dark One’s essence. It was already happening. She could feel herself drifting.

Chine’s voice rang in her head amongst the chorus and cacophonous screeching. Dustling! It is not your time yet. Do not give up!

Alex held onto her dragon’s voice. She tried to use it to support herself, to drown out the voices behind her, the screaming and raging hatred so pure it threatened to submerge her entire existence.

Suddenly, she was back in her body. She slumped and Jim grabbed her, keeping her from falling off Chine. “Do it now,” she whispered before contacting Chine and saying, This one is all you, buddy.

With the last bit of her energy, Alex reached out to the Dark One. She imagined her hand wrapping around its hanging eye, and she focused all of her ideas and intent into the image. Then she saw herself ripping the eye from the ceiling.

An audible scream filled the cavern. Jim took that as his cue and detonated the mech. The mech’s reactor melted down as Chine flew away. They had only thirty seconds before the mech exploded. It wasn’t nearly enough time.

Below, angels crawled out of the tunnels. They stared up at the eye as if curious.

Chine raced away from the Dark One’s gaze while Alex held on as hard as she could. She struggled to stay conscious as the dragon swerved through the tunnels, Jim shouting directions as he gripped Chine’s neck to keep from flying off.

The angels were crying, a loud wailing throughout the meteor. Then there was an explosion. They heard it even though it sounded far away. The walls of the tunnel shook violently, rock falling from the ceiling. “We’re almost out of here!” Jim screamed. “Just hold on.”

Holding on was all Alex could do.

Chine shot his ether fire and broke through the side of the meteor as the flames from the explosion followed on his tail, shooting out as if the meteor was a flaming dragon.

The flames hit the dragon and he spiraled out of control. Alex reached out for Jim and pulled him close, holding him as tight as she could while Chine fought to right himself.

Another explosion cracked the meteor down the middle, sending rock and debris flying. A chunk of rock hit Chine on his wing as fire scorched the dragon’s tail.

As the meteor blew to smithereens, Chine fell from the sky. To the dragonriders on the ground, it looked like a meteor shower, Chine burning as bright as the brightest shooting star.

Chapter Ten

Alex woke up in a bed in a white room in the Wasp’s Nest. The crystal walls projected a calming, muted white light. When she tried to move, her head felt dreamy and distant. The world quickly came into focus as she attempted to pull off her sheets.

Nothing happened. Alex looked down. Her right arm was missing from the elbow down. There were no bandages, only a nub.

A sick feeling started in the pit of her stomach and raced up her throat. She held her right arm close to her chest as she cried. The sickness left with the tears, and the tears gave way to a realization: she was still alive.

She pulled the covers up to her neck with her other hand and sat very still. She listened to herself breathing. Tried to move the fingers that were no longer there. Let the silence of the room and the crystal glow of the walls pass over her. She drifted back into sleep.

There were no dreams, only a blank kind of rest. It was just what Alex needed.

When she woke up again, Myrddin was standing next to her bed. “Good morning, Alex,” he said.

She sat up, careful to keep her bedsheets covering her right arm. “Hey,” she said groggily. “I’m assuming we won.”

“All because of you. That stunt you pulled was foolhardy, rebellious, and dangerous. And thanks to you, Middang3ard is safe for some time. I cannot thank you enough.”

Myrddin waved his hand, and a chair flew from the other side of the room to him. He took a seat and sighed heavily. “I’m sorry for your loss. You had a multitude of visitors trying to storm your door, but I thought it better for you to have some time to yourself in light of what happened.”

Alex removed the sheet and looked down at where her arm had been. “Kinda funny, right? You give a blind kid her sight, and then she goes and cripples herself. That’s ironic.”

“Actually, that is poetic justice.”

Alex groaned as she leaned back. “Are you seriously going to quiz me on literary terms right now? Your bedside manner is atrocious.”

“Wizards are not known for indirectness. Which brings me to my second reason for being here. We will be having many talks in the future. Chine has informed me of your psychic potential, which is something we will want to develop. But before that, we must talk about your arm.”

“What’s there to talk about?”

“An armless rider is a liability. You have two choices: a magic arm or a cybernetic arm. Both are ready to be attached whenever you are ready, should you wish to remain as a dragonrider.”

The matter-of-fact way Myrddin spoke about Alex’s injury put her at ease. This was just part of the job. Riding wasn’t the same as it was in VR. There were real consequences; Alex understood that now. “I’ll take the cybernetic arm,” Alex said after thinking for a while. “Actually, it sounds pretty cool.”

Myrddin stood and magicked away his chair. “That was what Jim believed you would say. Would you prefer to allow your visitors in before or after the operation?”

“Before. As soon as possible.”

“They’ve been waiting outside for you to wake up.”

Alex smiled as she stood up. Still got two legs, she thought. Could have been worse.

Myrddin headed to the door. “Hold on,” Alex called. “What about Chine? Is he okay?”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

Alex turned her thoughts to the dragon as Myrddin politely waited by the door. Chine, are you okay? Please tell me you’re okay.

Chine answered instantly, his voice much more excited than usual. Alive and well, Alex. Fire is the least of our worries for dragons. How are you? Myrddin told me the extent of your injuries.

Well, I get a robot arm, which I think is pretty damn sick. Glad to hear you made it out all right.

Glad to have you finally awake. I was beginning to worry.

Alex turned to Myrddin, flashed him a smile and a thumbs-up. He opened the door and let in the other riders. All of Team Boundless waited at the door, as well as Roy and Toppinir. Before Alex could say a word, Jollies rushed into the room and wrapped her arms around Alex’s neck, sobbing loudly.

Alex had to peel Jollies off like a band-aid. “I was so worried about you!” the pixie cried.

Alex sat Jollies in the palm of her hand and said, “If I had been conscious, I would have been worried about you too,” before looking around the room and saying, “I’m glad you all made it.”

Out of the riders, Jim and Brath were the only ones who looked banged up. The side of Brath’s neck had been burned badly, but it seemed to have mostly healed, no doubt through magic. Jim had a scar running across the side of his face, and he was in a cast.

Alex had grown used to being stared at, but the intensity everyone looked at her with was unnerving. “Uh, so, how much trouble am I in?” she asked.

Toppinir rested his hand on Alex’s bed. “None,” he said. “The level of bravery you showed was beyond anything the dragonriders have seen. The meteor was destroyed because of you. Middang3ard owes you and Jim a deep debt.”

Roy fidgeted awkwardly at the back of the group before he pushed his way forward. “What was inside the meteor?” he blurted. “What did you see? We tried to get Jim to tell us, but he said he wasn’t sure what he was looking at. What about you?”

Alex held the nub of her right arm as the riders tried not to stare. “It was the Dark One,” she whispered. “Or at least part of him. There was a child too. I think it might have been him, or an older version of him. It was all kinda confusing, but I know for a fact that thing was the Dark One.”

“You talked to him, didn’t you? What did he say?”

“He talked a lot about wanting to take over Middang3ard, about reforming it in his image. The guy sounds like he has really deep ego issues, but I think that probably goes without saying.”

Alex took a deep breath as she tried to put the last few hours into words. “Honestly, it was terrifying,” she admitted. “I don’t really know what that guy is, but he’s insane. And scary as hell.”

Myrddin interrupted the solemn silence in the room. “That we already knew. No need to think about it for too long. For now, we will celebrate. A decisive blow has been struck to the Dark One.”

There was a murmur of agreement before Myrddin started to shoo the visitors from the room. Before Myrddin could force Gill out, he got close to Alex and whispered in her ear, “Glad you made it.” Myrddin got the drow by the collar and tossed him out.

Jim was the only one who managed to avoid Myrddin’s paternal hurricane. He sat down on Alex’s bed. “Didn’t think I was going to get a minute with you before the whole ceremony.”

“Jaws, don’t be weird. You know you can have as much of my time as you want.”

An awkward silence filled the air as Alex wondered what she was supposed to say. Should she just wait for Jim to do something? There should have been a manual. “Hey,” she eventually said. “Come over here.”

Jim skootched over to Alex. Alex grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him down to her face, and kissed him. It was a gamble, but it paid off. Jim slipped his hand around Alex’s neck, returning the kiss.

When they pulled apart, Jim’s face was flushed, and he tried to catch his breath.

Alex’s heart was racing in her chest, and she giggled nervously. “We should do that a lot more.”

* * *

Alex sat in front of her room’s window, watching the new cadets flying their dragons for the first time. She looked down at her new arm. It was still in its skeletal phase, so the gears and wiring of the cybernetic arm were visible. Even so, the arm was an elegant piece of machinery.

She flexed her fingers, then closed them to make a fist. She was glad Myrddin hadn’t wasted any time getting her the new arm. The best part was, the arm felt as natural as though it had always been a part of her body.

There was a knock on the door. “Come in,” Alex said.

Myrddin and Jim stepped into the room. The wizard wore a fashionable pale-blue suit. Jim was wearing his dragonrider uniform, the same one Alex wore. “Getting to be about that time?” she asked.

The wizard nodded, opening the door wider. Alex rose from her bed, cast one more glance at the cadets in the field, and exited the room.

* * *

The mess hall of the Nest had been transformed into a banquet hall of such elegance, foreign dignitaries could have been hosted within it. She saw table after table covered in delicious concoctions, reflecting the various races enrolled in the dragonrider program.

The mech riders were amongst the invited guests. Most of their tables boasted human delicacies. They were, in fact, a mostly human riding corps.

Team Boundless sat in a place of honor near the stage. There was a general murmur throughout the hall. Everyone was waiting for Alex to give a speech.

Alex stood behind a curtain on the stage, trying to calm herself. She had never spoken in public before, and she had nothing prepared. Myrddin had only told her she was expected to give a speech a few minutes ago.

Not knowing what else to do, Alex reached out to her dragon. Chine, what am I supposed to say?

Chine did not answer immediately, but Alex could tell he was mulling things over. Mortal creatures are very sentimental. You should speak from the heart. Do not overthink it. Just be yourself. That is who they are here to listen to.

All right. Guess I’ll see how that works out. If I bomb, I’m blaming this on you.

Alex could hear Myrddin talking past the red curtain. “And now I introduce to you the first human dragonrider,” Myrddin called.

That was Alex’s cue. She took a deep breath and walked out.

The lights were very bright, and at first, Alex couldn’t make out anyone in front of her. Slowly, everything started to come into focus. She could see Team Boundless sitting near the podium and the rest of the dragonriders filling the room.

Alex tried not to think about what she was going to say as she hobbled across the stage. She was still pretty beat up. The audience patiently waited for her to get to the podium, and she cleared her throat before taking a deep breath.

When Alex spoke, her voice was shaky, almost cracking. “So, we won the battle, I think,” she joked. The crowd chuckled politely as Alex summoned her courage and went on. “You know, I saw what the Dark One was in the meteor. Part of that was terrifying, but the rest? The rest was pathetic. I saw what he’s planning on doing. He thinks he can improve us. He thinks we are weak, and we’ll be stronger through him. What do you guys think?”

A chorus of voices shouted their disagreement, slammed their hands on the tables, and clinked their glasses. “Exactly,” Alex shouted back to the crowd. “This war is far from over, but I’m damned if I spend it running from the Dark One.”

Alex raised her cybernetic arm and clenched her fist. “We will fight. We will bleed. We will sacrifice.” She let her words hang over the crowd for a moment before speaking again. “We’re taking this fight to the Dark One. I am a dragonrider. The first human rider, sure, but I promise you this: I will not be the last. Dragonriders, the Dark One is coming back, but we are ready,” she said as she looked at the cadets, at Toppinir, at Roy, at Brath, Gill, Jollies, and Jim, and with unbridled pride cried out, “And we will win!”

The shouting and war cries of the dragonriders could be heard long into the night. They were accompanied by the roaring of their dragons.

The sound would have frightened anyone.

Even the Dark One.

Author Notes Ramy Vance

February 13, 2020

Since we’re so close the April Fools (at the time of publication), I had to share what I did last year. Check it out!

* * *

Hey everyone! Check out my new series:

Tired of the same old urban fantasy plot lines? Looking for something brand new and mind-bending?

Check out Ramy Vance’s new series: The Toddler…

The Toddler is coming. Pray he hasn’t missed his nap.

Prone to tantrums, resistant to sleep and perpetually hungry, this pint-size hero has just soiled himself.

It seems that a powerful magic has befallen the city, putting all the adults to sleep. And now there’s no one around him to change his dirty diaper.

Now The Toddler must risk all to save the adults from their endless slumber.

But time is running out, for if he doesn’t find a cure soon, he’s going to have one hell of a diaper rash.

If you like the Dresden Files, Mercy Thompson or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then you’ll be helplessly addicted to The Toddler series.

COMING SOON!

Praise for The Toddler:

★★★★★ “Finally a breath of … well … seriously stinky air.”

★★★★★ “Buffy meets Dora the Explorer.”

★★★★★ “Move over Paw Patrol … Adventure Bay finally has a real hero.”

There are three more covers, but because of space issues, I couldn’t put them here. I have them on my Facebook feed and/or join my Facebook Group: House of the GoneGod Damned … all the covers, plus this year’s April Fools are in there!

Author Notes Michael Anderle

March 22, 2020

THANK YOU for reading our story! We have a few of these planned, but we don’t know if we should continue writing and publishing without your input. Options include leaving a review, reaching out on Facebook to let us know, and smoke signals.

Frankly, smoke signals might get misconstrued as low hanging clouds so you might want to nix that idea.

I live on the strip in Las Vegas and it is presently one week since I got back from London and five days since most of the hotel-casino’s on the strip shut down due to the efforts to contain Covid-19.

I live next to the Aria, beside the Cosmopolitan, and across the street (and a block or two down) from the MGM Grand and New York New York casinos.

The Aria and New York New York are important because the restaurants I frequent are inside them. You know, inside where I can’t even get take-out anymore.

Presently, it is 1:30PM in the afternoon and traffic on Las Vegas Blvd (always a mess on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons) is not a mess.

In fact, the whole strip is about 95% shut down. There are a few restaurants open including Giordano’s (we are helping them stay open and paying a few workers), McDonald’s, a hot dog place in front of Bally’s (I can’t remember the name but purchase a Mexican Coke every time I am over there) and also Wahlburgers. Plus, any CVS or Walgreens (which seem to occur every few blocks near my place.)

I have a theory why we have any traffic at all.

Theory: People from outside the strip (think Henderson or RedRock area) are taking a drive to see the strip closed. The expectations of no cars traveling up and down is doomed to disappointment because of sightseers coming in to see the absence of cars—therefore, there are cars.

Well, it’s only a theory.

This morning, I went up and down the strip buying a little from each of the stores and trying to give everyone a little business. Of course, I cleaned hands wherever I went as I walked through the stores looking for a bit of TP or anything we might be able to use that didn’t require refrigeration.

I purchased frozen dinners from a Walgreens across the street because the manager personally showed me the Walgreens app and the items in the freezer on sale. I explained I was walking back and couldn’t carry that much.

She told me to take the little shopping cart on wheels and simply return it.

I bought more than I technically needed at that store and I WILL go back. Not only to return the cart (it’s so damned cute!) but also to support them and their efforts to stay open when the strip is closed for business.

I wish I had a larger freezer to help them more.

However, I hit two CVS’ and two Walgreens’ plus a Target and I scored one roll of tissue paper. That’s not a package of 4, 12, 16, 24…it was one from all five stores.

They had about thirty single rolls on the shelf, so I took my one and felt like I had downed a 14-point buck at 200 yards through trees so thick it looked like a fence.

(Is fourteen points a good-sized deer rack? I really don’t know as I don’t hunt. If you were nodding your head with my story, remember I am paid to lie for a living. It’s a good life.)

If you live here in Las Vegas, remember that the little (expensive) stores on the strip have way fewer shoppers. One of our people inside LMBPN mentioned that no one remembers that truck stops often have toilet paper. I tried that.

They didn’t .

I suppose it is possible there is a different side of the store than the one I went into to find the elusive TP. Where I looked, it was a seriously small shelf space that was empty. Hmmm.

I should have called Stephen Russell (Author S.R. Russell) who was a truck driver for a few decades to ask him before I left there empty handed the other day. Well, not truly empty handed as they had buy-1-get-1-free on M&M’s. I figured why the hell not? We might need protein (peanuts), emotional healing (chocolate), and calories (sugar) in order to survive the next few weeks.

There, if you needed an excuse to buy Peanut M&M’s, you’re welcome. If you don’t, I applaud your lack of concern when purchasing junk food. I had to give myself a reason to load up on them.

I’ve used that damned ‘sugar is calories’ excuse a LOT in the last 7 days.

Take, for example, the following ‘food’ I purchased using the sugar is calories excuse.

It has Mike in the name. How can I not support THAT???

For now, we here in the Cave in the Sky™ are doing fine. Neither the wife nor I have tried to suffocate each other yet, nor have we tried to toss each other out of the windows. Fortunately, I purchased a mattress topper a month ago to put on my couch in the office for naps. If I need to, I can hang out here if the wife starts to moan….

BRAIINNNZZZZ.

All joking aside, this is a new time in our world. The challenges we have encountered will be overcome, the new society that comes out the other side will be interesting. It’s time for those who can to help those who need it.

For those who need help, raise a hand when your neighbors ask.

I am grateful to you our readers who read our books. Later this week, we will place a few of our books (all of them) for children out for free, paying the young author for the privilege. We are not a children’s publisher, so we do not have many selections. Look for Sienna Lawson.

Love And Aliens

Dragon Approved™ Book Eight

Chapter One

Myrddin declared a holiday at the Wasp’s Nest, the first ever. Most of the staff didn’t know what to do with their time, and none of the students did.

Other than Alex Bound.

She knew exactly how she was going to spend her day off.

And who she would be spending it with.

The wind was rushing past Alex’s face, bringing out the red in her cheeks. She almost gasped for breath. The cold air had come out of nowhere, but it was refreshing. She continued to climb into the clouds as if she were trying to get as far away from the ground as possible.

Her dragon, Chine, had been silent for most of the ride, trying to give Alex space. It was a big day for her, and they’d discussed the proper boundaries the night before.

The reason it was such a big day was that Jim was flying in his mech dragon next to Alex, both of them heading toward some destination Jim had picked out. There were many ways in which Alex could see this day going terribly wrong, and each of them had something to do with her. They were generally vague notions, but if she thought long enough, a crystal-clear version of her screwing things up would manifest itself.

Alex had no idea why she was so nervous. She’d been through much more nerve-wracking experiences over the last few months. She was thousands of feet in the air on the back of an ether dragon, which would have been enough to freak most people out. Going out with Jim should have been a walk in the park. I wonder if he’s taking me to a park? Alex thought. We didn’t bring anything to eat.

A gust of wind pushed past Alex and sent another set of shivers down her spine. She tapped the environmental control on her dragon anchor and felt her suit warming up.

Jim had hardly said anything since the two of them had left the Wasp’s Nest, the main base of the dragonriders. He had been all jokes and flirty glances when Alex had been getting her dragon ready. Now there was comm silence between the two of them.

Alex wondered if Jim was as nervous as she was. This was technically a date. Maybe everyone was nervous on their first dates, but that didn’t make any sense for Jim and her. They had spent years playing Middang3ard VR together, and since then, they had gone on several death-defying missions as members of the dragonriders corps. She’d think they could hold a simple conversation.

Yet here they were, flying through a perfect sky, on the way to a date they were both looking forward to, riding in complete silence.

What did people do in situations like this? Alex wished she knew what to say, but any time she felt like she was supposed to say something, she froze. It was almost as if awkward silences made her brain shut off.

Was it awkward, though? Wasn’t one sign of a good friendship that you could be comfortable being quiet with someone? What if that was all this was—just two friends going out? Jim hadn’t said it was a date…or he hadn’t used those words specifically. What if this was just one of those “friends” type of things?

Fighting the Dark One’s forces was nothing compared to the stress of this ambiguity.

Alex cleared her throat and looked at Jim as she hit her comm. “So, where did you find out about this place?”

Jim looked through his cockpit’s windshield as he answered. “Gill told me about it,” he replied. “Said it was a nice, romantic place.”

Alex felt a dagger in her chest. Figures I’d say something that would bring up Gill. She still hadn’t thought about her feelings about Gill, but she’d already made up her mind about Jim. It didn’t seem like Gill’s feelings had been hurt, either. I mean, he did recommend a romantic place for Jim to take me. He can’t be too heartbroken, Alex thought.

Chine interrupted Alex’s rambling train of thought. You seem to be having a problem speaking to the human you’re infatuated with. Perhaps you two could talk about the weather?

Chine, shut up. I’m not having a hard time talking. Just, this is my first date.

Chine chuckled as he soared higher. Ah, human mating rituals. Your species is downright adorable when you’re trying to—

Alex interrupted Chine, shouting, “Wait, who said anything about mating? This is just a first date. Like, my first date ever.” Alex realized she was speaking out loud and not telepathically directing her thoughts toward Chine.

And her comm was still on.

Jim was looking at Alex, trying to hold back his laughter. “I’m not laughing at the first date thing. I mean, it’s my first date too. You knew this was a date, right?”

“Of course, I knew it was a date. I’m not dense. What the hell did you think was so funny?”

Jim pointed at Chine, who was lazily blowing out small ether fireballs to dispel the clouds in front of him. “Just the whole telepathy thing you have to do with Chine. I’m very happy I don’t have to deal with that. Mechs don’t talk, and they can’t give me shit.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of the ghost in the machine? Maybe it’ll grow its own soul.”

Jim opened his cockpit and stretched his arms out, letting the mech fly on autopilot. “I’d prefer not to think about that. These things are already hard enough to handle. I don’t even want to think about contending with a real personality.”

“Guess that’s the difference between us dragonriders and you mech riders. We can interact. I’m pretty sure all you guys are doing are pressing buttons and hoping the thing doesn’t break down on you.”

Jim feigned taking a shot to the heart and fell back into his mech. “Damn, if that’s your idea of flirting, you might want to put on some gloves. You’re going to leave my ego way too bruised.”

“Dude, I haven’t even started teasing you yet. This isn’t even the first round.” Alex started shadowboxing, tossing jabs and hooks at imaginary foes. “You’re lucky you’re not in the ring with me,” she said as she jabbed. “They call me ‘Thunderfists’ out on the mean streets.”

“Oh, really. Thunderfists? When did they start doing that?”

“First thing my mother said when I was born,” Alex said, putting on a fake Southern accent. “Mamma said I punched my way straight out into the world. Been a slugger ever since. What’s your story, cowboy?” she asked.

Jim steered his mech closer to Alex’s dragon and leaned out of the cockpit. “My story? Oh, I just came in with the wind. I don’t have a story,” he replied with a horrendous Western accent. “And I’d like to keep it that way. Stories hold you down. Make you all weighty and heavy. Nope, a man like me don’t need no story. We just roll with the wind. Can’t lose what you don’t collect.”

Alex giggled as she noticed how widely Jim was smiling at her. It was the kind of smile that made her want to stop what she was doing, whatever it was, and just stare for a little bit. “You’re not too bad at that. Wouldn’t have pegged you as one for improv.”

“Before Middang3ard VR, I used to do a lot of tabletop role-playing. Sometimes we’d just roll random characters, and you’d have to pretend to be a klepto orc or a skittish elf for a month. Kinda seems funny in hindsight. You know, with having to fight orcs and having a drow for a teammate.”

Alex was glad she had never cared much for fantasy books or games. It was much more interesting to be experiencing it all for the first time. The most she had ever learned of fantasy had been from Middang3ard VR, but now she was living the real thing. “How much longer until we get to this place?” she asked.

Jim looked at his dashboard while he pushed his upper lip out with his tongue. “Probably another half-hour. I know it’s a little far, but it’s supposed to be beautiful.”

Alex half-wondered why Gill knew about it. He wasn’t from this realm, so he must have recently gone there. “I love riding,” Alex said. “It could be six hours away, and I’d be glad for the ride.”

Jim started to slowly bring his mech into a descent, getting out of the clouds. “You know, I can’t remember the last time I had a full day off. Between training and these recent crazy missions, I thought I was going to lose my mind.”

Alex agreed. It had been too long without a break. The last few months had been nothing but a blur. Between the invasion of the Dark Nest, fighting a reality-warping meteor and being recruited for a rescue mission in an orcish arena, Alex had hardly had a chance to catch her breath. And that wasn’t counting all the regular classes and training sessions Alex and the rest of Team Boundless had to attend.

Myrddin had informed the Nest that today was going to be a national holiday but hadn’t elaborated on whose people or which nations were host to it. Alex thought it was just a way for Myrddin to give the Nest a chance to relax without looking like he’d gone soft. It was a good idea.

Jim kicked his feet up in the cockpit as he pulled out a soda. He whistled for Alex’s attention and mimed opening the can, and when Alex nodded, he tossed one over to her. “Wish we would have gotten more than a day off,” Alex grumbled. “I feel like my nerves have been fraying for the last week.”

Jim nodded his agreement before saying, “Yeah, I’m not sure if they think running us ragged is going to make us tougher or if they don’t realize we’re tired. I mean, my dad used to talk about how bad boot camp was sometimes. Doubt this is much different. At least we’re clear of getting any more missions. I can deal with school and training.”

School and training were easier than missions, but Alex didn’t want to do either of them. Spending a week flying with Chine and goofing off seemed like a more appropriate reward for saving a realm and thwarting the attack on the Nest. That was probably reserved for heroes, though, and Alex was just a soldier, one of many.

Jim leaned over the edge of his mech’s cockpit and peered down. Then he sat back down and closed his cockpit, tilting his mech slightly to the left. “Pixies in trouble,” he said through the comm.

Alex chuckled and shook her head. “You’ve been hanging out too much with Jollies. I don’t think I know enough pixie slang to make sense out of that,” she replied.

“No, I mean, there are pixies down there. And they look like they might be in trouble.”

Alex looked down. She didn’t have the benefit of Jim’s mech’s surveillance tech, but she had something that a lot of other people would have envied: magical dragon eyes. She was still learning how to master them, but every day was easier than the previous one. Focusing on things beyond human capacity was a parlor trick now.

Alex closed her eyes, took a quick breath, and opened them, looking down thousands of feet in perfect clarity. It was a feat that would have given her a migraine for days a few weeks earlier.

Jim was right. There was a group of pixies near the surface who were fleeing from something. Alex looked back a little way and could see that the pixies were trying to avoid a group of giants. “Great,” Alex moaned. “Not even a full day off.”

“We could just postpone until later. You know where I live.”

“You live across the hall from me.”

“And yet you never try to sneak in.”

Alex blushed, remembering a few nights ago when she had snuck out of her room and stood in front of Jim’s room for nearly five minutes, debating whether or not she should knock. She stood there until Gill passed by, smirking a little but remaining silent. “Oh, come on! Pack up the jokes and let’s go help those pixies before they get crushed.”

Chapter Two

The pixies Alex and Jim were worried about were currently flying through a forest, trying to take advantage of the trees as cover. They were nearly a hundred of them—a small tribe, since woodland pixies tended to keep their tribes smaller. The trees were not doing much to hide the pixies, though, since their anxiety and fear could easily be seen in their glowing, changing pigment.

There was a good amount of distance between the pixies and the giants, but it was being closed fast. Although the pixies were fast, the giants had the benefit of being huge. These giants were larger than any Alex had seen so far. As she’d learned through her studies, there were dozens of different species.

These seemed to be yhomir or forest giants. They usually kept to themselves and avoided conflict whenever possible. But as Alex had learned, a creature under the Dark One’s sway rarely acted as it should. Creatures and sentient beings would behave in ways contrary to their ideals or traditions. Alex was terrified of what would happen if the Dark One were to ever take control of humanity.

The yhomir were closing on the pixies as the seconds ticked by. The giants were now running nearly on all fours, their lanky, muscular arms almost touching the ground as they ran forward, their mouths foaming and eyes red. They looked as if they’d been reduced to some feral pre-giant form, devoid of intelligence or understanding.

The pixies were no longer trying to hide. They were screaming and flying as fast as they could.

Alex and Jim descended into the forest. The trees were a problem Alex hadn’t had to deal with yet. Generally, the battles she had fought had taken place in the sky or open spaces, since her enemies usually were riding something as well. Today, that was not the case. The farther the pixies ran into the forest, the thicker the trees became.

The forest was almost dense enough to block out the sun. As Alex got closer to the tree line, she commed Jim and asked, “You got any ideas on how to deal with this one?”

Jim shrugged as he steered away from Alex. “There’s no way we can take on all those giants head-on. We need to cull their numbers. Did you count how many of them there were?”

“At least thirty. I don’t know why they’d need that many to go after those pixies. You think it’s the Dark One? What would he want with a bunch of woodland pixies?”

“What does he ever want? Seems like the guy wants to dominate just for the sake of it. There doesn’t seem to be any reason behind this whole war, or none that I can figure out. None that anyone is telling us.”

Alex directed her thoughts toward Chine. Do you think you can maneuver through the trees?

Chine replied, I will be able to move more easily on the ground. The trees are too close together for flying, but I won’t lose any speed on my feet. It would be a more effective strategy.

Alex commed Jim again. “Hey, how’s your ground game look in that thing?”

Jim flipped a couple of switches and brought up his holoscreen. “Should be good. Faster than a giant. We’re supposed to be getting these things upgraded later this week. That nerd-farmer we went on that mission with is supposedly a genius. Convinced Roy to let her take a look at the mechs.”

Alex was interested in what the nerd-farmer (Alex knew the kid’s name was Abby, but nerd-farmer sounded kind of endearing in her head) had in store for the mechs, but now wasn’t the time to talk shop. Those pixies were going to be dust if Alex and Jim didn’t move in fast enough. “All right, I say we take a stealth approach. See if we can sneak up behind them and thin the ranks a little,” she suggested.

Jim hit a button on his dashboard and his mech faded from sight. “When the hell did you figure out you could do that?” Alex exclaimed.

Jim’s head popped back into visibility for a second, just long enough for Alex to see his smug smile. “Got a new batch of augments earlier today. Didn’t think I’d get a chance to try this one out, but now seems like the perfect chance.”

The two descended until they were nearly brushing the trees. Alex relaxed and let her eyes do their work. Because her eyes were modeled after Chine’s, Alex had all of the benefits of a dragon’s vision. She could see the heat signatures of the giants beneath her.

After determining their location, she swooped behind them from above and then lowered herself and Chine into the forest.

Chine touched down as lightly as possible, hardly making any noise, and they began to sneak closer to the giants. Chine took the lead on this one because Alex wasn’t used to riding her dragon on the ground.

The psychic link between Chine and Alex was strong, and Alex rarely had to communicate about things like that. It made working together a lot easier.

Alex rarely realized how lizard-like Chine could be, but she was reminded as the dragon slipped in and out of the shadows. His footsteps didn’t make a sound.

Jim was out of sight, and Alex hoped he had touched down already as well. She was going to comm him but thought better of it. Giants rarely used tech (something that didn’t seem to be affected by the Dark One’s influence), but there was always a chance they had some way of detecting electronic communications. Alex had recently been reading about the psychic capabilities of some types of giants. It would be best to play this safe.

For now, Alex would just assume Jim was as competent a rider on the ground as she knew he was in the air. Part of her wished Gill was here instead of Jim for this mission, and it made her feel like crap. Gill was great at stealth, and it would have put some of her worries to rest. Plus, she kind of missed the drow. Not thinking about that right now, Alex reminded herself. Teenage Hormone Hour is scheduled for later.

Up ahead, Alex could see a giant who was lagging behind the rest of the group. Perfect. Waves of Chine’s emotions rolled over Alex. It was something that had just recently started happening. Alex hadn’t spoken with the dragon about it yet, but whenever Chine felt something strongly, it would wash over Alex like a fine mist.

So far, it had not been anything complex—mostly boredom and excitement, but this time, it was different. There was something going on within Chine that was almost overpowering. Giddiness was the only way Alex could describe it. It wasn’t hard to figure out why, either. Sometimes Alex had an inkling of what was sparking his emotions, but this time, it hit Alex like a slap in the face.

The hunt. Something about hunting the giants was making Chine as happy as a child with a new toy. Alex thought it was kind of cute, and she let herself get caught up in it as the two of them raced after the lagging giant. Giants weren’t known for being forgiving when traveling. If you couldn’t keep up, you couldn’t keep up. It was a mindset Alex was willing to exploit.

Chine’s head snapped forward and he snatched the giant, crushing the huge creature between his jaws. Both Chine and Alex felt extremely satisfied with the sounds of the cracking bones.

Alex hadn’t been aware Chine was so good at stealth. All of the battles the two of them had been in so far had been heart-pounding, explosive situations. Alex had never heard of dragons being sneaky, but at the moment, Chine reminded Alex more of a dangerous viper than anything else.

Even with that, it was only a matter of time before the giants realized they were being picked off. Giants weren’t dumb, and the darkness of the forest was only going to obscure Alex and Chine for so long. If there had been more riders, Alex could have easily overtaken the giants she was stalking. But she and Jim weren’t going to be enough. This was going to turn into a full-on battle eventually.

There was still a fair amount of distance between the main group of giants and the few who had fallen behind. Alex didn’t know how many giants Jim had managed to take out, but she knew that once the fight started, they’d still be dealing with the bulk of the giants.

There was a bright flash of heat, something Alex was certain only she and Chine noticed. That must have been Jim. Alex realized that if she focused, she could pick up on Jim’s heat signature. She concentrated on finding different levels of heat at the same time.

Jim’s mech was hot and blew out her vision. It was snaking its way, slower but still persistently, through the forest, occasionally stopping to snipe one of the giants.

At the sound of Jim’s approach, two of the giants turned, spotting Alex and Chine. They shouted, calling to the other giants, who immediately forgot the pixies they’d been chasing.

One of the giants reached over and ripped a tree up by its roots. The yhomir threw the tree at Chine, who leaped to the side. The tree hit another, exploding into a thousand chunks. That giant really had an arm on him. Alex figured keeping her distance was the best idea. If one of them got hold of Chine, it would be bad news.

The dragon growled as he backed away from the giants. He must have been thinking the same thing, Alex thought as she scanned the environment. There wasn’t much space to move around with the trees being so densely packed. It was going to be impossible to accurately use Chine’s flames without torching the trees.

That would be disastrous. There were a host of creatures and races that lived in the woods. Alex was pretty sure the pixies were residents of the very forest cradling them now. It would mean a lot of deaths and a lot of displacement. There had to be another option.

One of the giants went flying to the left, crumbling under an invisible attack from Jim. The rest of the giants whirled, trying to find the source of the attack. Maybe that was the best approach for the time being: let Jim take out giants from stealth mode, and Alex could clean up the rest of them.

A giant ripped another tree up and swung it like a bat. There was the sound of metal cracking, and sparks flew as Jim became visible.

Jim’s mech tumbled back, nearly toppling over. He obviously hadn’t been expecting to be found out so soon. “Damn it,” he muttered into the comm. “Any ideas on how we’re going to take care of this?”

There was no time to form a plan. Instead, Alex trusted her gut, and right now, her gut was telling her to engage. Fight. “We get in close,” Alex cried out. “Hit hard and aggressively.”

“I’m starting to think that’s your solution for everything.”

“You’re welcome to solve this problem however you want. I know what I’m doing.”

Alex pulled back on her dragon anchor, sending Chine leaping at the closest giant.

The giant saw Chine coming and braced itself for the attack. As Chine snapped his jaws closed, the giant grabbed the side of Chine’s mouth, keeping the dragon from closing his jaws.

Alex could see that this was going to be a fight. The other giants were starting to surround her. She stretched out her hand to call her scythe blade from her dragon anchor, and it materialized in her right hand. She twirled it elegantly, relishing in the sound of the gears whirring in her robotic arm.

Even though it had taken some time to get used to it, Alex preferred using her robotic arm for fighting. She had a much broader range of motion and more strength than she’d had before.

She wasn’t going to leave her dragon to deal with the giant by himself. She unhooked herself from the anchor and ran up the length of Chine’s back his head, then slashed the giant’s throat, severing its head.

Its body fell, and the rest of the giants’ eyes flashed as if they realized that they were no longer the only predators. Alex and Chine were their equals, if not more. Guess I’ll just have to prove it to you, asshats, Alex thought to herself.

Chine whipped around, slashing the giant behind him with his tail as his rider ran down his right wing, slashing at the giants who were attempting to crowd him.

At Alex’s side, Jim was firing his machine gun, cutting down the ones who were too stupid to turn away from the bullets.

Suddenly, as if they had all received a command, the giants dropped to the ground, hunching so their arms scraped the forest floor. Then they sprang into the air, grabbing the branches of the trees and swinging up into the dark canopy like huge monkeys.

Jim and Alex looked around the clearing. All of the giants were gone. “Uh, what just happened?” Alex asked.

“I don’t know, but giants aren’t supposed to move like that. Last time I saw one, they were not that agile. I thought that was kinda their thing, you know? Big and slow.”

“Explains how they were able to keep up with the pixies.”

A heavy kick hit Alex in the side, throwing her off of Chine. She hit a tree hard and gasped for breath. “Shit,” she muttered as she stood up. She looked above her. Giants were hanging from tree branches, their red eyes glaring.

Alex groaned as she stood up. All right, I didn’t want to go the whole-hog, but we might as well. She ran back to the dragon. Let’s tear through these guys, Chine!

Chine didn’t need to be told twice. The dragon roared, letting everything in the forest know of his presence. Then he leaped into the trees while Jim watched, amazed at Alex’s brazenness.

Alex cut through a giant while Chine snorted a small, controlled stream of fire, burning the branches out from under a couple of giants. Jim saw his opening and bolted toward the creatures, his machine guns blazing, cutting them down as soon as they hit the ground.

Above, Alex and the dragon were making short work of the giants. They moved in unison, Alex traversing Chine’s body as if he were a canvas for her to paint on. They annihilated the giants that remained almost before the monsters knew it.

Chine landed on the ground as Jim wandered over. “You know, if you want, next time I could just stand on the sidelines. I have no problem with you taking care of everything,” Jim joked.

Alex looked around at the bodies that littered the forest floor. “Psh, what are you talking about?”

“You and Chine wrecked those giants. I thought they were going to give us a much harder time.”

“Eh, they made the mistake of assuming Chine and I were attached at the hip. That, and this big guy seems to be as comfortable in a forest as in the air. Plus, they were interrupting our date. So, how about we go see how those pixies are and get back to it?”

Jim smiled as he opened his cockpit. “Oh, so you’re enjoying the romancing?”

Alex started toward where she thought the pixies would be. “I don’t not like it.”

Chapter Three

Alex and Jim found the pixies huddled in an old mushroom-covered tree log. They were sitting quietly, two of the older ones perched near the opening as lookouts. When they saw two humans approaching, they whistled loudly for the rest of the pixies to come and meet their saviors.

The pixies were ecstatic. They had seen the fight or at least the two sentries had, and told the rest of the pixies what they’d seen. The sentries recognized Jim and Alex as dragonriders. They had heard tales of the riders’ prowess in battle and were glad to see that the stories were not exaggerations.

Alex tried not to let the praise go to her head. She was happy they were safe—that was the important thing. But it never hurt to hear nice things. For the most part, being a dragonrider was a thankless job. The corps gave credit when it was due, but it was a circular thing. The people Alex was working to protect had no idea about the kind of work she did.

It was nice to be able to see the joy in the faces of the pixies. Alex knew she had made a difference. (Not that she thought she hadn’t before.) Seeing the pixies safe and well was different, though. It wasn’t an abstract concept like the Dark One was. This was tangible. And sometimes that was all Alex needed—just be able to hold on to something, to know it was real.

One of the sentries flew up to Alex’s face, smiling and glowing bright yellow. “What brought you into the forest anyway?” the pixie asked. “Humans don’t usually come out this way, even if the Wasp’s Nest is so close. We hardly ever see humans.”

Alex figured that made sense. “That’s because there aren’t many other humans around the Nest,” Alex said. “Have you met any of the other dragonriders?”

“Oh, yes, many. There are a few elves who come to our woods, and pixies. Also, a young drow…he is the quietest of all. Sometimes we don’t even know he’s among the trees.”

Jim laughed as he shook his head. “That would be Gill,” he said mostly to himself. “Only quiet person I know who’s able to make that kind of impression.”

The sentry flew closer to Alex’s face. “You still haven’t told me what brought you to the forest.”

“Oh, yeah. Well, we were trying to get someplace,” Alex said. “But I’m not sure where it was we’re going. It was supposed to be a surprise.”

The sentries looked at each other, confused by how awkward the two humans were being. “What are you doing in the forest?” one of the sentries inquired.

Jim bashfully scratched the back of his head. “Uh, well, we’re on a date.”

The sentry still seemed to be in the dark. “What is ‘a date?’”

Jim’s face went red as he cleared his throat. “Guess it’s like a pre-mating ritual. I mean, kinda like an equivalent for pixies.” He turned to Alex, throwing his hands up. “Not saying that’s what I’m trying to do or anything. It’s just that pixies don’t do dates, but they have those rituals.”

Alex couldn’t bring herself to meet Jim’s eyes, and he turned back and started talking to the pixie sentries, who had flown closer to speak more quietly. When the sentries finally gave Jim his space, he was shaking his head and blushing slightly. “They want to escort us on our date,” he explained. “As a thank you.”

“Why would we want a pixie escort? This isn’t my high school prom.”

“Alex, you were homeschooled. You didn’t have a prom.”

Alex shrugged off Jim’s critique of her wit. “Doesn’t matter. You get the point I’m making,” she retorted.

Jim came over to Alex and smiled that smile that had recently started to make her stomach flutter. “Trust me, it’s totally gonna be worth it. Sun’s about to set and everything. It’s a great idea.”

“All right. As long as this doesn’t turn out to be anything weird.”

* * *

The sun had set, and darkness had settled over the valley. The moon hung crooked and swollen like a giant white eye peering at that which could not be known. Alex had always loved full moons, but although tonight’s was gorgeous, it was nothing compared to what she was a part of.

The pixies were glowing as bright as they could, surrounding Alex and Jim as they made their way through the forest and down to a meadow of wildflowers. Those were glowing as well, although in muted tones.

The parade of lights continued through the meadow, past the flowers and up into the hills. Alex couldn’t take her eyes off of the pixies, who were also singing quietly, a low and solemn tune that added an air of gravity to their short journey. Alex would not have connected it with pixies. Gone was their lightheartedness; instead, there was a weight in the song that hung as heavy as heartbreak.

It was a sobering experience, almost like a meditation. Jim was right; it was a great idea.

As they traveled under the moonlight with the song of the pixies filling the air, they descended into the valley. At the bottom was a pond roughly thirty feet across, surrounded by an outcropping of trees. There was sand around the lake, and even from far away, it looked soft. Steam was rising from the water. “You brought your bathing suit, right?” Jim asked.

Alex had thought Jim was joking about swimming. It had been freezing the last few nights, but she had worn it under her armor just to be safe. Even though Jim joked a lot, he rarely advised doing something unless it was important.

The pixies continued down the hill with Alex and Jim until they stood before the lake. Alex dismounted from Chine, and Jim exited his mech. They stood on the shore of the lake, watching the steam rise. “How hot is it?” Alex asked.

“Gill said it’s about ninety degrees on a night like this. He thought it was weird we were bringing bathing suits. Apparently, drow skinny-dip.”

Alex put all her mental effort into not letting her imagination run wild with that idea. Instead, she hit her dragon anchor, and her armor slid up into her anchor. Jim did the same, and they both walked over to the lake. Alex dipped her toe into the water. Gill hadn’t lied. The lake was practically the temperature of a hot tub.

Slowly Alex lowered herself into the water, the heat shooting up her legs as if it were fire. At first, it was too hot, but the water instantly became relaxing. She oozed into the pool as if she’d become water.

Jim wasn’t too far behind her. He took a little more time to get his legs wet, but once he was knee-deep, he waded farther into the lake.

The two swam slowly around each other, circling in silence. The moon shone down on them as if in agreement with what it beheld.

Alex couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone swimming. This was the first time since she’d been magically given her sight. She thought about mentioning it to Jim but decided not to. Sometimes it felt better not to be constantly mentioning how awesome her first experiences were.

But she took it all in: the reflection of the moon against the water, Jim’s bare chest glistening with small beads of water, the constantly shifting colors of the pixies who were dancing above them like streaking stars that had come down to join them.

Alex and Jim didn’t speak much. They swam instead. When they were not swimming, they went back to the bank of the lake and lay down on the soft sand as the warm waters washed over their bodies. When they did speak, it was of nothing in particular. Stories told in snippets. The occasional laugh or giggle.

Time stopped for a bit.

Finally, after a long period of silence, while lying on the bank of the pond, Alex sighed and said, “I think I really needed this.”

Jim was waving his hand back and forth in the water. He looked up absentmindedly, as if the heat from the lake had drained him of his thoughts. “I think we both did.”

Alex stared up at the moon. Everything felt perfect. She couldn’t imagine it could be better. “I’m glad you asked me,” she said. “It’ll be nice to come back here with everyone. But I’m glad that it’s just us this time.”

As Alex stared up the sky, something bright and green streaked across. It looked like someone had carved open the sky and whatever was underneath had bled green. It was gone within a moment, only a flash. And that was all the attention Alex gave the streak.

Chapter Four

Alex and Jim had lost track of time. It was a pleasant feeling, one Alex couldn’t really recall having shared with another person before. Especially not such interesting conversation. Jim didn’t seem to like small talk very much. He kept asking Alex questions that made her stop and think.

That wasn’t to say Alex wasn’t trying to do the same thing. This was the first time they’d gotten to talk for an extended period of time outside of VR or work. It felt like they had a lot of catching up to do. Or at least, to get to know each other.

As Jim told Alex about the first time he’d ever broken a bone, she noticed that the streak was still bright in the sky, almost as if it had slowed its descent. When Jim was finished speaking, Alex pointed at it. “Seems like that’s been there for a while, right?” she asked.

Jim smiled as he leaned back to look at the green streak. “Was my story that boring?”

“Are you going to give me crap about looking up at the sky when it’s so beautiful tonight?”

“When you put it like that, I’ll pull my foot out of my mouth. And to answer your question, yeah. It does seem odd that it’s been like that for so long.”

Alex stood, walked over to Chine, and grabbed her HUD. She stared through the visor at the streak. “I’m going to check in with HQ about this,” she said before hitting her comm. “Hey, I’d like you to check out my coordinates. I’m seeing an anomaly in the sky. Not quite sure about it. I was just wondering if you could take a look at it or watch it.”

An obnoxiously gruff voice came over the comm. “What are you doing out that far? That’s a restricted area,” the voice chastised.

“No, it’s not,” Alex replied. “There aren’t any restricted areas around the Nest.”

“Oh, well, it’s not for first-year students. That’s what I mean by ‘restricted.’”

It was obvious to Alex that whoever was talking to her was messing around. “Okay, I’m not in the mood to play games right now,” Alex said, certain that whoever was on the comm was someone she knew. “Who is this?”

The gruff voice disappeared and was replaced by the bright, cheery tones of Jollies, a pixie, one of the other members of Team Boundless. “Aw, you suck the fun out of everything,” she whined.

“Only when I’m trying to seriously ask something. What are you doing on watch tonight?” Alex asked.

Jollies sighed as she explained. “Well, first-year students get the short end when it comes to night shifts. Brath and me got them two days in a row. Say hi, Brath.”

Brath’s annoyed voice came through the comm. “I don’t know why I have to say hi,” the gnome groaned. “It’s not like she called me.”

“She didn’t call me either, jerk. She called the night watch, and seeing as how you are also working the night watch, the call applies to you too. Now say hello.”

Brath grumbled under his breath before he said, “Hello. How’s the date going?”

Alex felt her face flush with a mixture of embarrassment and irritation. She had figured Jollies was going to give her a hard time about it, but she would have thought it would be beneath Brath. Although, Brath was Gill’s best friend. It wouldn’t be out of the question to assume Brath was being defensive, but Gill hadn’t seemed the least bit bothered by Alex and Jim going on a date.

Jollies erupted into gales of giggles at Brath’s question. “Oh, my goodness, I completely forgot you two were on a date right now. Are you guys holding hands? Did he kiss you yet? Does he smell good, like cologne-good, or did he just decide to go the human ‘this is how I smell’ route? You should have tried the pixie perfume I told you about, the one my mom sent me. It’s soooo good, and I think you would have loved it. But I need details—”

Alex interrupted Jollies. “I’m still on the date. Like, Jim’s right here next to me.”

“Oh. Kinda awkward to be talking on the comm while you’re on a date.”

Jim’s voice came on. “Just so you all know, the comm is an open channel. I can hear you.”

Alex wished she could shrivel up and fade from the realm.

Jim spoke again. “Whatever we are doing is our business, though, Jollies. Maybe you should ask Alex when the entire Nest doesn’t have the ability to hear you.”

Alex could imagine Jollies pouting. If there was one thing the pixie hated, it was having her fun taken away from her. She would probably be upset about this for the next couple of days. Even if Alex told her roommate what happened in explicit detail, it wouldn’t be enough. She wouldn’t be satisfied.

“Fine,” Jollies finally said. “I’ll talk to you in private about it when you get back, Alex. But I’m going to want all the details. Even things you don’t want to admit to yourself.”

“Sheesh, Jollies, you make it sound horrifying.”

Alex could practically see Jollies turning a different color as she spoke, jumping from red to black and maybe deep purple. “All the details,” the pixie growled. Then her voice returned to its chipper tones. “So, what was it you wanted to talk to us about?”

Alex had almost forgotten the reason she had called the night watch. “There’s a weird light in the sky near Jim and me,” she explained. “I didn’t think anything of it at first, but I don’t know, it doesn’t look right. It reminds me of the meteor we just recently fought.”

Jollies was all business now. Alex wondered how long the pixie had been helping with the night watch. “Oh, then that would be something to pay attention to,” Jollies said as professionally as she could be. “It’s a good thing you two were out that way. Nothing is showing up on our screens.”

“Yeah, I thought it was really weird-looking. So, what now? Will you guys stay up all night watching it?”

“You know, that’s exactly what we’re going to end up doing. Night watch is so boring. Even if there isn’t anything important about the light, there’s nothing else to do. Brath is refusing to talk to me. Jim gave him some sort of human video game, and he hasn’t put it down, even though he’s supposed to be helping me with my dragon anatomy quiz.”

There was some scuffling over the comm, and Brath yelped in either fear or irritation. “Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing with that?” the gnome shouted. “I swear, if anything happens to it, Jim is going to kill me. And I’ll help you with your damn quiz. We’re going to be here all night. Don’t see what the huge rush is.”

Finally, the commotion settled down. Alex had enjoyed the brief chat, but she was much more interested in hanging out with Jim than listening to Jollies and Brath argue. Before Alex could disconnect, she heard Brath asking her to hold on. “Looks like we got a problem,” Brath said. “That’s not a meteor. That’s a ship, and it’s still coming down.”

Alex sighed, remembering the meteor she’d come across. It had been a living ship that had warped reality around itself. If this was anything like that, it was going to take the whole Nest to deal with it. The last one had almost killed most of Boundless and had resulted in Alex losing her arm. This was the least ideal way a date could have ended up.

Jim was already on his feet, climbing into his mech. Guess that was the end of the date.

Alex had hoped Jim would be happy leaving this for someone else to take care of, but she and Jim were the closest. It made sense for them to check it out. Still, Alex had been hoping to at least get kissed before risking her life again.

Chapter Five

Alex and Jim thanked the pixies, bade them goodbye, and made their way toward where they expected the ship to come down. It was difficult to tell the trajectory from where they were. Alex wondered if the ship had the same kind of reality-warping abilities as the meteor they’d come across before since both shared the same green streak.

From where Alex was, she figured it could take up to two hours to get to the meteor if it was descending. She logged this information back to the Nest, hoping someone would know what to do with the intel. Being out all night on a mission was the last thing the rider wanted.

Usually, Alex would have jumped at the chance to investigate something like this. She’d always been about the mission, regardless of what it was. Something had been different recently, though, if only just the last few days. Getting up and going to class was a drag. Even running through combat scenarios had been more lackluster than usual.

The only thing she’d been looking forward to in a while was having some alone time with Jim. Now it looked like that time would be spoiled.

“Chine, what do you make of that thing up ahead?” Alex asked aloud.

Chine snorted loudly as he turned his head to look at the streak of green light. Here I was thinking you had forgotten about me, the dragon said, chuckling. I didn’t realize humans were so one-track-minded when they fell in love.”

Alex switched over to her purely mental channel with him and snapped, Don’t tell me you’re jumping on board with the immaturity. I would have thought this was above your dragon stateliness.

There’s nothing in my code of honor or action that dictates that I can’t have fun or make jokes. Not that you have to worry about it happening often. I like a little teasing, Dustling. As for the streak, I am uncertain. From here, I cannot tell what it is, but it does not fill me with the dread I felt from the rock that we saw before. Whatever this is, I assume it is more benign.

Alex liked the sound of that. It would be nice for something enjoyable to fall from the sky for once. But it wasn’t in her nature to be too positive. Maybe we just aren’t close enough to see how bad it is, she muttered to herself.

As she, Chine, and Jim gained on the object, Alex could tell reality around her hadn’t changed, the closer she’d gotten to the green streak. That meant whatever was keeping the object from falling was natural, which somewhat put Alex at ease. “Hey, Night Watch, did you guys get the coordinates we sent you?” she asked.

Jollies’ voice crackled over the comm. “Why don’t you just use our names?” she asked. “We’re the only ones working here. Tonight, at least. And yeah, we did. I uploaded it into the system, and we’ve been waiting to see if anyone can head over to give you backup. There aren’t a whole lot of agents available, though. We’re having a hard time getting hold of anyone.”

“Where is everyone?”

“Holiday, remember? Most of the Nest is on leave. The only people left are the first-years, and I don’t think any first years are up to something this big. Seems like anytime we get involved with something, it gets a lot more intense than most of the first-years can handle. Hell, some of them are still dealing with the attack on the Nest.”

Alex had done her share of work to keep from thinking about the attack on the Nest. Much like her lost arm, it was better not to dwell on it. Thinking too much opened a well of emotions Alex didn’t want to feel. Painful guilt clenched her chest and bent her thoughts toward that simple feeling of shame she couldn’t hide from.

If there was one thing Alex wanted to stop feeling, it was guilt. No matter how she looked at the situation at the Nest, it rubbed the inside of her chest raw. But she could push it away for now. She’d grown pretty good at doing that.

Jollies was still talking, but Alex had zoned out for a second. She brought herself back to the conversation. The pixie was going on about who to send out into the field. “We might be able to pull in some of Roy’s mech riders. I don’t think those guys ever take a day off, or maybe they don’t take their days on seriously. Oh, and Gill is going to head over shortly.”

It was the first time all day Alex had been happy to hear Gill’s name. Having her team around right now sounded like the best idea. “You should avoid confronting the ship, though,” Jollies said. “At least until you have a better idea of what you’re up against. Otherwise, it could be dangerous.”

Alex agreed with the pixie. Getting close and taking a good, long look at whatever the hell had fallen out of the sky sounded like the best idea. “What’s Gill’s ETA?”

“Probably half an hour or so. He wasn’t at the Nest, and he wasn’t too far from you guys.”

Jim’s voice came over the comm. “Wonder what he was up to today?” Jim wondered.

Alex did, as well. Neither she nor Jim was suspicious of Gill like the rest of the cadets at the Nest. Apparently, drow didn’t have a good reputation with the other races in the realm. Even though Gill had been a part of several decisive victories, many of the elves at the Nest still looked at him with mistrust.

Alex and Jim were finally close enough to the descending ship to be able to scan it. Alex pulled up her HUD visor and gave the ship a simple yet thorough scan. She didn’t bother looking at the information but sent it straight to the Nest.

What Alex really cared about couldn’t be seen through the visor. She squinted, activating her superb dragon vision and focusing on the energy trail around the ship. It was definitely the same energy that had been attached to the meteor Team Boundless had fought. That meant that even if this wasn’t the same kind of ship that had come through before, it had come from the same place.

In addition to the energy, Alex could see there was a host of vrosks and harpies near the ship. Great, Alex thought. Had to bring friends along with you. Alex was preparing to report to the Nest that the ship was definitely going to be a problem. Then she looked closer.

The creatures surrounding the ship were attacking it, both the vrosks and the harpies biting at the ship’s steel sides. Now that’s interesting, Alex thought to herself. She commed Jollies. “Hey, so there’s a shit-ton of dark creatures around the ship, but they’re going after it. I think this might be something the Dark One wants.”

Jollies answered quickly. “If that’s the case, you need to stay a good distance away. You two just keep an eye on things until Gill gets there. We don’t want to escalate anything beyond what we’re staffed for at the moment.”

That made sense. Alex was about to disconnect when a voice broke over her comm as her HUD flashed the message Urgent.

Alex picked up. Myrddin, the ancient wizard responsible for the majority of humanity’s resistance against the Dark One, spoke up, and he sounded drunk off his ass. “Alex!” he bellowed.

Alex was glad her comm was partially mental and not completely physical because the volume of Myrddin’s voice would have ruptured her eardrum. She could practically smell the booze through the comm. “Yes, sir?”

“Just got your message from the Nest. A bit of a problem…yes, bit of a problem. Most of the staff at the Nest is gone. Vacation. You know all about that. But…but…what were we talking about again?”

“I think you called concerning the ship, sir?”

“Ah, yes…yes…well, you see, that ship is going to be a problem. We can’t just have other-dimensional ships landing anytime they want to, but I’m going to need you to wait for backup. Just wait—”

Alex was trying to be polite, but she felt like Myrddin was wasting her time. “Sir, Jollies just told me not to engage. What’s your position on that, sir?” A loud cheer bellowed through the comm. “Where are you, sir?”

Myrddin burped loudly before shouting something unintelligible at someone who must have been walking by. “Huge victory on the Dwarf homeworld. Was celebrating, but doesn’t seem like the best time. I’m using magic to sober up. Still takes a moment. Be there once I am. An hour, two at the most. Until then, you’re in control of the mission. There’s a tactical planner on your dragon anchor. It’ll give you access to some things you might need. Be in touch in a bit.”

Myrddin signed off, and Alex signaled to Jim to stop. He popped open his cockpit and leaned out. “What’s going on?”

Alex sat down on Chine and watched the ship in the distance. “Just got off the comm with Myrddin. We’re gonna take this mission. Let’s find a place to set down, wait for Gill, and figure out what we’re going to do.”

Jim pointed to a small copse of trees in the distance that seemed to have enough cover to obscure the mech and the dragon. “How about there?”

Alex scanned the area around for the next couple of miles. Those trees would be a good place to start, but they were going to have to keep moving if they were going to catch up with the ship. “Yeah, this’ll work. We better get started.”

Chapter Six

Alex and Jim touched down and started to make their way through the forest. Alex wanted to find a place where they were not visible to whatever was following the ship, but they could still get enough intel to make sure they weren’t leading reinforcements into a trap.

Even if all the battle prep classes Alex had been taking were extremely boring, she was glad some of it had rubbed off on her. She’d started to look at fights as something more complicated than “Make a good plan and hope it all works out.”

After the last mission Team Boundless had been on, Alex had been able to speak briefly to the leader of another squad who was a few years older than her. Suzuki of the Mundanes had been lauded as one of the best strategists Middang3ard had to offer, and despite his age, some of his battle strategies had been taught in class.

One of the things Suzuki had told her was each battle was shaped by a variety of factors that were determined before the fight took place. Some of those factors were understood on an unconscious level, like size, strength, and things that could be easily seen.

Other factors had to be searched out, and those were often the ones that determined victory or defeat.

Alex had wished she could have spent more time with the Mundanes. It had been refreshing to see so many humans close to her age. Since she had never gone to high school, Alex had only had the experience of cliques at the Nest to learn how people her age acted. Spending time with the Mundanes might have been a relief.

A focused mind was what Alex needed at the moment, but she couldn’t seem to keep her thoughts from wandering. Resentment was something she felt strongly. Her mind kept going back to the first few weeks of classes and how most of the first years had completely ignored her. She was angrier at them than she was at Brath, who she’d forgiven. At least Brath’d had the nerve to get in her face.

Her resentment felt like a betrayal, even if she never expressed it. She’d sworn to protect the Nest and all of the people within it. Part of Alex hated them, and she wished she didn’t. She wouldn’t have wanted anything to happen to any of them, but she despised the way they had cheered for her when she’d given her speech after her first battle. How they’d told her she was so brave for continuing after her arm had been blown off, as if they’d all forgotten how much she struggled, being the first and only human dragonrider. Alex’s mother had told her resentment could sneak in and eat at you from the inside, a cancer that would kill you before you realized it. Alex was aware of her feelings, and she did feel like they were killing her.

Jim’s voice brought her out from her circular, intrusive thoughts. “Hey, are you okay? You seem kinda spaced out?” he asked.

Alex didn’t want to talk to Jim about any of the things she was thinking. He’d either think she was being an ass or was just generally ungrateful. Well, to be honest, there was no way to be certain how Jim would react to her thoughts, but Alex didn’t want to risk him being another person who gave her odd looks. “Nothing, just trying to figure out the next move,” she said. “Come on.”

She pointed to a raised spot in the forest. “We’ll be able to get a better view from up here.”

The two humans and the dragon made their way up the steady slope until they came to the top. Alex was right, there was a much better view of the ship. From here, it was easier to see the swerving streak the ship had left behind in the sky.

The ship was definitely coming down, but it must still have power because its descent was measured, as if the pilot were trying to conserve as much energy as possible. That would also explain why the ship hadn’t bothered fighting off the dark creatures that had attached themselves to it.

At the rate the ship was descending, it could be another two or three hours before it touched the ground. And there was no way to intercept it, given the lack of resources the Nest had at the moment. On a properly staffed day, Alex could have called for a dropship to scoop up the craft. There would have been reinforcements to deal with the dark creatures.

Great day for a holiday, Alex thought.

Jim exited from his mech and walked over to the edge, gazing through a pair of binoculars at the scene. Past the forest, the land stretched out, with hills breaking up the flat land. “That doesn’t look good,” Jim muttered, passing the binoculars to Alex, who waved them away. Instead, she focused.

In the darkness, there were other creatures moving about. Dozens of wargs and giants moved through the shadows toward where they assumed the ship was going to come down. There were more than Alex and Jim could deal with alone—enough to pose a risk if they were to screw up.

These were the visible elements Suzuki had talked to Alex about—the things that would determine if she was going to end up dead. Now was the time to look for those invisible factors.

Alex remembered that Myrddin had told her to check out the tactical planner in her dragon anchor. She hadn’t heard anything about it before Myrddin had brought it up, so it was probably a new addition, either from an upgrade or her steady increase in rank.

As Alex pulled up the tactical planner, she noticed Chine was moving uncomfortably. The dragon was probably getting annoyed with his augments. It would be a good idea to take care of that before a fight if there was going to be one. Hey, Chine, ready to get drained?

He rolled his shoulders and breathed a small wisp of fire. I don’t think it’s necessary at the moment. It is only a slight discomfort.

Oh, come on. Better safe than sorry, right? It’ll only take a little time.

Chine’s body relaxed, and he let himself sink onto the soft grass. Alex knew she wasn’t going to have to ask again.

Alex walked around to his front legs. She found the dragon anchor insertion slot and slid her hand all the way down the anchor and into it. The anchor covered her skin, which would have been burnt otherwise.

The augments dragons wore for battle were extremely effective, but they had one very bad downside. They were hell on a dragon’s body, constantly tearing the flesh and burning them by drawing so much of the dragon’s fiery, acidic blood. With careful maintenance and communication between rider and dragon, this could be avoided.

That was where the dragon anchors came into use. Not only did the anchors literally anchor the rider to the dragon’s back during flight, but they were also used to drain the dragon’s augments of draconic fluid and process that fluid through the rider’s bloodstream. Once a rider was bound, they became more dragon each day.

The process had never been fully explained to Alex and seemed to be taken for granted by all the other riders and teachers. Alex hadn’t gotten over her fear of being seen as an idiot for asking, so the whole situation still was shrouded in mystery. But at the same time, Alex’s eyes had the capabilities of a dragon’s. She was already more dragon than any of the other cadets.

Alex soaked the draconic fluid into her dragon anchor and let the anchor integrate it into her blood. When she was finished with all the augments, Alex climbed atop Chine and plunged her anchor into the final spot, his spinal augment. That augment was never removed. It was what anchored Alex to the dragon and the dragon to her.

Once the fluid had all been drained, Alex sat down and let the fluid integrate into her bloodstream. She was glad she had taken care of it now. The longer you went, the more painful the process became for the dragon and the rider. At the stage it was at right now, it was only uncomfortable for Chine. After a drawn-out battle, it was like having salt thrown on a wound.

For Alex, the difference was in how much her blood heated. Either way, it was going to hurt, but absorbing this much hot fluid into her body was easily doable. After a couple of minutes, the heat in her veins disappeared. She decided to take a brief break to look at that tactical planner.

Alex opened her anchor and looked through its menus until she found the planner. She clicked it, and a virtual board opened in front of her. The board was mapped in a sixty-mile radius around her position.

There were figures representing Alex, Jim, and Chine, along with figures representing the descending ship, the mass of flying dark creatures, and the land monsters hunting the ship. “Whoa!” Alex exclaimed, “Now that is kinda cool.”

Alex jumped off of the dragon and waved Jim over to her. “You gotta check this out,” she told him. He wasted no time. “We have a pretty good look at the lay of the land from this thing right here.”

Jim took a look at the hologram. “I think it’s only showing what you’ve already seen. Look here. You don’t have anything displayed over that hill. I think it’s because we can’t see over it.”

A little of the excitement left Alex. She wished she had paid close enough attention to have seen that for herself. Still, she was glad Jim had brought it to her attention. “Okay, well, then I know what we’re doing next. We need to map out the rest of this terrain.”

Alex commed Jollies and asked, “So, where are those reinforcements?”

“I’m nearly there!” Jollies answered.

“Wait! I thought you said you were finding reinforcements?”

“Since you’re so good at listening, you might remember me saying almost no one is here. We don’t have enough bodies to leave their stations, but Brath said he’d take care of the night watch on his own until a replacement came by, so I flew out here to help you.”

Alex would have preferred another couple dozen riders, but Jollies was more than competent on her dragon. Besides, if Alex was being honest, she would have taken Gill, Jollies, and even Brath over twenty other riders. “All right, Jollies. I got something for you when you get here.”

“Kinda figured we weren’t going to have time to wait for reinforcements. You know, since they’re not coming.”

Alex stared down at the blank spots of the hologram map. She was going to start acquainting herself with those invisible factors.

Chapter Seven

Gill and Jollies arrived at Alex’s and Jim’s coordinates around the same time. Jollies was riding Amber, an electric dragon proportionate to Jollies’ small frame. The two were a good match, but it was always funny to see Jollies with the rest of the squad. Jollies was small enough to fit in Alex’s palm, but she had a personality the size of a mountain.

Gill rode Timber, an earth dragon. He was a muted brown with relaxed scales and unassuming claws and fangs—a dragon perfectly suited for Gill, who was a quiet drow. Gill rarely raised his voice to anything above his usual deep, soft tone. It was hard to tell when he was excited. Unlike Jollies, his skin didn’t change color with his mood.

The two dragonriders jumped off their dragons and came over to where Alex and Jim were sitting. Jim and Gill exchanged a quick hug, Gill asking Jim something Alex couldn’t hear. Even if Gill wasn’t so soft-spoken, Alex still probably wouldn’t have been able to hear because Jollies came flying up to her ear, speaking rapidly.

Alex politely pulled Jollies away from her ear and placed the pixie on her shoulder. “Hold on, hold on. I’ll tell you everything later. We have something more pressing to take care of.”

Jollies flashed bright red and crossed her arms. “What makes you think I wasn’t talking about the mission?”

“Were you asking me about the mission?”

Jollies didn’t answer right away. Finally, she said, “No.”

Alex pulled up the tactical display and nodded smugly. “That’s what I thought you were going to say.” Alex sighed. “Well, might as well get down to business. You guys know about the incoming ship. Hey, how come Brath didn’t come?”

“We couldn’t both leave. And yeah, we clocked the ship after you called us. It must still have power because it’s descending so slowly. It’s not a crash-landing.”

Alex pointed to the tactical display, noting their position and the position of the ship. She drew their attention to the creatures that were in the valley and those above the ship. “Looks like we’re not the only ones trying to pick this thing up, and if it’s important to the Dark One, then it’s important to us. I doubt if it’s supplies or anything like that. From what I could see, the vrosks were trying to rip the thing to shreds in the air.”

Gill leaned close to look at the display, his hair falling over his face. “This is a welcome addition to our tech,” he said before straightening up and opening his display. “Formulating plans will be much easier. If you’ve decided to start planning things, that is?”

A few months ago, Alex would have gotten defensive, but she’d grown pretty familiar with Gill’s wry sense of humor. That jab was as close to a joke as Gill ever got. “Yeah, I figured it might be the best route to keep from getting our heads blown off. And I’m open to contributions.”

Gill smiled as he brushed his hair out of his face. “I’d like to hear what you’re proposing first.”

Alex pointed to the blank spots on the map display, east of where they were currently. “The ship is heading in that direction and we don’t know what’s there. The descent is still pretty slow, so we can easily make it there before the ship does. I want Jollies to do a quick recon of the area and give us an idea of what we’re walking into since she’s the fastest.”

Jollies zipped back over to her dragon and climbed aboard. “The display will automatically update for you guys?”

Alex nodded as she pointed to it. “That’s what it did last time. I’m pretty sure it’s sourcing information from our HUDs and dragon anchors.”

“Okay, I’ll be back ASAP. Don’t do anything fun without me.”

Jollies took off, heading east toward whatever lay over the hills.

Alex turned her attention to Gill. “I want you to check out the hills. You’re the quietest of us all, and the only one I trust to get a better picture of what’s trailing the ship. Jim’s mech is too loud, and it’s not a secret that I’m not good at laying low.”

Gill nodded, turned off his display, and went back to his dragon. He left without saying a word, rising into the sky like a giant black cloud and disappearing.

Jim went back to his mech and jumped inside. “So, I’m guessing my role is to sit here quietly and do nothing?”

“Not nothing, but I don’t have anything specific for you to do. Ideas?”

Jim looked at his tactical display. “No, I think you’re right. I just don’t like having to sit on the sidelines because of the whole mech thing, but like you said, the thing is too damn loud and not nearly as maneuverable as your dragons. Sneaking makes sense, and I can’t do what Gill is about to.”

Alex wondered if there was a hint of jealousy in Jim’s voice. She could have just been hearing something that wasn’t there. And then she wondered why she would hope Jim would be jealous of Gill. That didn’t make any sense.

Jim was playing with the controls on his mech. “At least I can calibrate this thing,” he muttered under his breath. “Got a feeling we’re going to need heavy firepower in a little bit. I didn’t need to get close to see there are a lot of monsters trying to get into that ship.”

Alex had climbed back onto Chine and was scratching the dragon behind his horns. What do you think is in the ship?

Hopefully an enemy of the Dark One. We could always use more allies, Chine answered.

Wouldn’t that be sweet?

At best, maybe it is something to help end this war sooner.

* * *

It took Jollies less than an hour to return, but the tactical display was updated long before that. Alex could appreciate why Myrddin had added it to their tools. As soon as Jollies had arrived at the valley and done the survey, the display had changed. If something had happened to Jollies, Lord forbid, it wouldn’t have kept the team from receiving the intel.

Gill, on the other hand, took a little bit longer to get back. The three dragonriders were patiently waiting for him around a fire they had started. They watched the ship continue to descend. Alex was surprised the vrosks hadn’t gotten inside yet. She’d seen what vrosks could do up close, and it wasn’t pretty.

Jollies was already bored with waiting, and she’d only gotten back a few minutes ago. She paced up and down the length of a tree branch until finally jumping from the tree and landing on Alex’s shoulder. “Okay, if you aren’t going to give me any details now, the least you can do is tell me what you did,” she whined.

Alex wanted to flick Jollies off her shoulder and let the conversation end there, but she knew it was because she was getting anxious, waiting for Gill to get back. Sending members of her team out alone always made her uncomfortable. “Fine,” Alex relented. “We got into a fight with some giants and ended up running across a bunch of pixies living in the forest.”

“Figures you two would get into a fight on a date. And there are pixies out here in the forest? I had no idea. What were they like?”

“Actually, now that I think of it, they were different from you or any of the pixies in the Nest. Not nearly as high energy. They were still beautiful, though.”

“That’s because the pixies in the Nest, including me, aren’t woodland pixies. Most of us come from pixie cities. Things move faster there. Roy said it was like the difference between humans who grow up in the country or something called New York. Anyway, I’d like to meet them at some point. I haven’t spent a whole lot of time with woodlanders.”

“Is that a common thing? I mean, not knowing much about another branch of your own race?”

Jollies shrugged. “Depends on how you look at it. Most high elves don’t know much about drow other than what they’ve read. I’ve heard it’s the same for you humans. You don’t know much about humans in other countries. Isn’t that the basis for most of your wars?”

Alex couldn’t disagree with her. “One of our leaders, a long time ago, said the only way humans would stop fighting each other was if we had to work together to fight something bigger than us.”

Jollies laughed as Alex chuckled ironically. “That’s a sad thought,” the pixie whispered. “But I think you could say that about any of the races throughout the realms. Even the elves, regardless of what they’d have you think. Gnomes are the only race that has had an extended peace.”

Alex found that hard to believe. “Really? Brath seems so angry, and so do all the other gnomes.”

“That’s just because gnomes are prickly. They haven’t had a war in hundreds of years. That’s why their homeworld fell so quickly. They had the weakest army of anyone attacked.”

Alex let that irony sink in as she leaned forward and stared into the flames. She could see Jim’s face through the fire, also pondering what Jollies had just said. He’d been quiet since the recalibrations on his mech had been finished—deep in thought, his eyes distant.

Behind Jim, Alex saw Gill’s dragon land. The rider walked up to the flames and took a seat next to Jim, who patted him on the shoulder. “Glad you made it back,” Jim said. “These two were trying their best to depress the living hell out of me.”

Jollies stuck her tongue out at him. “I was not trying to depress you. We were just talking about the war.”

Gill nodded as he scooted closer to the fire. “A good conversation for light hearts. It is something we should talk about. It makes no sense to fight a war we don’t understand, even if it concerns us. Otherwise, we aren’t much better than the Dark One’s tools.”

“Do drow have wars?” Alex asked.

Gill took his time answering, as he did anytime he was questioned about drow culture. At first, Alex had thought it was because he didn’t want to talk to outsiders about his people. Over time, Alex had determined that it was more about trying not to misrepresent his people. “We drow haven’t fought a war for some time. Maybe a few thousand years.”

“How do you settle differences, then?”

“Most drow aggression is done through subterfuge. Behind the scenes kind of stuff. The drow are technically at peace with everyone but really at peace with no one. It’s one of the reasons people don’t trust us. When your entire race is known for being sneaky, it’s hard to get people to see anything other than that.”

The four dragonriders sat in silence, watching the flames and thinking over what had been said. Then Alex pulled up her tactical display and announced, “We better start planning. Come on.”

Chapter Eight

Alex discovered within minutes that she hated planning anything more than a few steps ahead, but she wanted to get better at it. Obviously, trusting her gut was only going to keep her out of trouble for so long. Planning ahead seemed like the best way to stay alive.

It also helped that she wasn’t going at it by herself. The tactical display allowed everyone to see what was going on and chip in. That was great because both Gill and Jollies had excellent insights into some of the proposed ideas.

The four dragonriders sketched out an idea of how long it was going to take the ship to actually touch down. While they were charting the potential crash site of the ship, Alex received a comm from Myrddin. He told her he’d arrived back at Middang3ard and was in the process of pulling together whatever reinforcements he could. Obviously, his call for reinforcements held much more weight than Jollies’ and Brath’s.

After that was taken care of, Alex looked at the game plan the four had come up with. Gill and Jollies were going to try to clear out the area where the ship was going to land. From the recon the two had performed, it didn’t seem like the Dark One’s ground troops knew for sure where the ship was going. They seemed to be just guessing, and thanks to the combination of the tactical display, Alex’s eyes, and Gill’s and Jollies’ recons, the dragonriders were fairly certain they had a better projection of where the ship was going.

If there were any of the Dark One’s ground forces in the area, Jollies and Gill could get started taking care of them. If the ground forces were too numerous, they could radio for backup from Alex and Jim. There wasn’t much distance between the two areas, and it would be easy enough to move back and forth as long as they weren’t overrun.

Jim and Alex were going to try to thin the herd of monsters that were heading to the ship. If the giants suddenly decided to change course, there was going to be a much worse problem. It was better to take them out now instead of waiting until they posed a threat. That was where the valley and its surrounding hills were going to come in handy.

At the moment, Alex and Jim were outnumbered by the giants. The plan was to use the rocks and boulders on the hills to take out some of them, bringing the total down to a more manageable number.

The dragonriders went over their plan one more time, asking questions here and there when they needed clarification. It was straightforward enough, and the only thing that could really go wrong was incorrectly predicting where the ship was going to come down. Even if that happened, they could all easily correct their course once they had cleared out the Dark One’s forces, though.

Alex flipped down her tactical display and stood. “You guys ready to get going?”

Jollies groaned as she floated on her back. “I wish I had known it was going to be a mission like this,” she whined. “I would have brought along something to eat.”

Jim went to his mech and pulled out a picnic basket. “Go crazy, you guys,” he said as he tossed the basket to Alex. It was filled with sandwiches nicked from the cafeteria, along with a selection of desserts and treats. Alex noticed he had included some gnomish hard candy as well, one of Alex’s favorites.

Gill picked around until he found some fruit. “I’m sorry you two won’t be able to finish your picnic,” he said softly. “The lake was probably beautiful at this time of day.”

Alex reached over Gill’s hand to grab a piece of jerky. “Yeah, it was. Jim told me you let him know about the place, right?”

Gill nodded, his face betraying no emotion, as usual. “When he told me you were going on a date, I could think of no better location,” he replied. “Glad you enjoyed it. Jim, you and I are going to have to go swimming there soon. Brath still hasn’t been either.”

Jim grabbed a sandwich and started to scarf it down. “Sounds good to me. Honestly, after all this crap is finished, it might be nice to go for a dip before we head back to HQ. It’s hot all night, right?”

“I didn’t bring any swimming clothes.”

Jim laughed as he took another bite of his sandwich. “I highly doubt anyone in our company is going to complain about seeing your ass. And it won’t be anything I haven’t seen.”

Alex felt her face burning bright red and tried to find something to look at. Unfortunately, her eyes fell on Jollies, who was an even brighter red than Alex. Jim was having way too much fun with all this. “If you guys are done messing around, I’m ready to get going,” Alex said.

Gill smiled politely as he took a seat underneath Timber’s wings. “I’d prefer a little more time to eat if possible. Like Jollies, I haven’t had a chance to eat.”

Alex couldn’t argue with him. Everyone else was still in the process of eating, even if she was starting to get anxious, waiting around. That, and it would be easier to avoid being teased if they were in active pursuit.

Alex walked over to the picnic basket and looked for something that looked appetizing. “You know, this is the first time we’ve all been around for a meal in a few weeks, I think.”

Jim chewed as he nodded, scratching his chin. “Yeah, it has been a while. I can’t remember the last time we all had lunch or dinner together.”

“You would think things would have slowed down after the last mission. Seems like I hardly see you guys anymore unless we’re trying to save the world or something.”

Gill looked up from his food. “I don’t think any of our missions have qualified as saving the realm yet, but I do understand the sentiment. I miss you guys as well. Brath does too, even if he’d prefer not to say it.”

They were right. It had been a while since she and Jollies had spent any time with each other, even though they lived together. Today was the first day she’d seen Jim for longer than twenty minutes. Gill had been pretty much a shadow for the last two weeks. “We should make this happen more often. Minus the part where we have to chase a spaceship and kill a bunch of giants.”

Jim finished his sandwich. “Yeah, I could do with more hanging out and fewer threats of death. That sounds like a much better way to spend my holiday.”

Alex placed her hand in the middle of the group. “Promise. We all make sure to have a life outside of missions. And I’m going to count you as Brath, Gill.”

Gill placed his hand on top of Alex’s, and Jim placed his on top of Gill’s. Jollies landed atop the pile of hands and nodded solemnly. “Promise.”

Jim and Gill repeated the promise as well, then removed their hands. “Good. Now let’s go save a spaceship.”

Chapter Nine

Alex and Jim took off toward the rocky hills that rolled through the green valley as the ship above continued its slow, constant descent from the heavens. Alex couldn’t keep herself from wondering what was inside. All of the time she’d spent with the riders had been concerned with how they were going to get to the ship, not its contents.

That could have been because none of them wanted to think about the last time they’d had to deal with anything from space. Their last excursion had ended up with them defying direct orders, most of them nearly dying, a harrowing psychedelic experience, possibly sharing a mind-meld with the Dark One, and Alex losing her arm.

It was easier not to talk about those things, and on the whole, that was what Team Boundless had been doing. That was probably why they hadn’t been seeing much of each other. Sitting in a room with Jollies for too long would have prompted conversations Alex didn’t want to have. She was already getting weird looks from other students. Everyone’s eyes gravitated toward her arm.

Alex hadn’t had a chance to have the robotic nature of her arm covered. Myrddin had mentioned something about it when it was first installed, and now she almost wished she had gone the magical route instead. She still wasn’t used to seeing steel bones instead of skin, but then again, she was only recently getting used to seeing anything.

The arm worked perfectly and she rarely realized it wasn’t the one she’d been born with, except when she accidentally exerted too much strength. But she was quickly learning to control that.

Alex had been glad to be alone with Jim for a little bit but had been worried the conversation was going to turn to her arm, or even worse, what she’d seen within the meteor that had fallen from the sky.

The experience had been too much to wrap her head around. Sometimes she would think about it during the day, and a well of dread would creep into her stomach, the room would get distant, and things would become fuzzy. She tried to keep from thinking about it.

That didn’t stop the nightmares, though. Alex had never been so happy Jollies was a night person as when they had returned from that mission. The nightmares had arrived in droves, each of them concerned with the rock in some way. She hardly remembered them when she woke. She figured it was just stress, but part of her worried there might be something deeper. She had been connected to the Dark One or one of his minions on a mental plane. Maybe she’d brought something back with her.

Alex shook her head. That was why she had been avoiding everyone, even her own thoughts. Studying was easier. Hell, getting lost in a crush was easier too.

As Alex looked at the green streak left by the ship, she couldn’t push aside the fear growing in the back of her throat like a bad nasal drip. Soon her hands were going to start shaking, then she was going to throw up. After that, she’d be useless.

Alex wondered where all this fear had just come from. Only a couple of seconds ago, there had been nothing. She’d been fine. Maybe meeting with the Nest’s shrink wasn’t such a bad idea. Talking almost sounded nice. Alex wished she could have talked this over with her parents, but they would have worried. But if they could get past the worry, they would have understood.

The hills were coming up. Time to get your head in this, Alex thought as she focused on the giants who were riding mammoths across the plains. Alex wouldn’t have assumed mammoths could move so fast, but those things were hauling ass. Hopefully, they’d be able to make it to the boulders before the mammoths passed.

Chine’s mind tugged at hers. Sometimes when there had been a long interval, Chine would politely nudge Alex before interrupting her thoughts. What’s up, Chine?

The dragon’s thoughts were soft and almost timid. As the two got closer, Alex was starting to pick up on the emotions behind his words. You seem distracted, Dustling. As if something is troubling you.

Alex should have known better than to not talk to Chine about it. She should have at least let him know what was going through her mind. Even if she tried to hide her feelings from him, he usually picked something up, and they needed to be in sync. They depended too much on each other.

This is too much like last time, Alex finally said. It’s freaking me out. The last time, it was…

I know, Chine replied. I was there. I’d never felt anything like that before. It was disturbing.

What if this is the same thing?

Alex felt her dragon’s positivity wash over her and wrap around her like a warm blanket. It was almost as good as getting a hug from her dad. It isn’t going to be the same. For one thing, if this were nearly as dangerous as the rock was, Myrddin would have had it on his map for months. And whatever it turns out to be, we’ll be able to handle it.

He was right. If this thing was as dangerous as the meteor, there was no way Myrddin wouldn’t have prepared for this situation. That was all the wizard did. And, Alex reminded herself, reinforcements were on the way. Maybe this would be an easy one.

Except for the horde of giants riding mammoths. Comparatively, though, that wasn’t as bad.

Alex and Jim sped up, flying around the giants so as not to give away their position until they got to the hills. They found a spot with a number of boulders. Alex pulled up her tactical display to see how Jollies and Gill were doing.

The display showed that the other two dragonriders weren’t too far from their destination. Alex commed Jollies and asked, “What’s it look like out there?”

Jollies’ voice came back instantly, a little garbled. “We got A LOT of bogies. That’s what you call ‘em, right? Or tangos? I don’t know. I’m not sure I’ve been getting all the targeting slang. Whatever. Wargs and orcs. Same ol’, same ol’. Tons of ‘em.”

“What’s the game plan?”

“Uh, Gill, what are you thinking? Short and sweet?”

Gill spoke over the comm. “I believe I could sneak around to the front and draw most of their attention as you split them down the middle.”

“Oh, like that two-point pattern you were showing me?”

“Exactly.”

Alex was impressed by the obvious teamwork between the two. She was a little jealous but wasn’t sure of who. Either way, it was good they knew what they were going to be doing. “All right, sounds great. Let me know if anything changes, okay?”

“No probs. Jollies out.”

Jim was already in position to get the boulders going. Alex got behind him. Once the first two went down, they were going to have to rush over to the next couple and keep going. The only way this was going to work was if they got the jump on the giants. Taking too long between rolling the boulders would let the giants catch their breath and maybe mount an attack.

After they depleted the hills of boulders, the only other option was to get up close and personal with their targets. These didn’t seem to be yhomir. They were much larger. Alex reminded herself that close didn’t mean too close.

Alex looked at Jim and gave him the high sign. Chine reared up on his hind legs and slammed his chest into the boulder as Jim fired a concussive blast at the boulder in front of him.

Both Jim’s and Alex’s boulders started to roll down the ridge. Neither of the riders wasted any time jumping over to the next boulder and pushing it. Then on to the next. And the next after that.

Alex worked as fast as she could, and it wasn’t long until they had cleared the first hill of all the boulders. She pulled up on her dragon anchor, sending Chine bolting for the ridge across from her as Jim’s mech rose. She landed and started the process again with the boulders on the other side.

The boulders Alex and Jim had already gotten moving were picking up speed as they careened down the slopes into the mostly flat valley.

Alex took off and held out her anchor, pulling her scythe out of the ether. “Let’s get this done,” she said before taking off toward the giants.

Chine dipped into the valley as the boulders Alex and Jim had set loose slammed into the mammoth’s body, knocking the creature to its knees and tossing the giant from its back.

As Chine got closer, Alex could see just how massive the creatures were. These giants were nearly twenty feet tall. They were large enough to swat at Alex and Chine if they got too close. That put an end to one of Alex’s plans. She had originally planned on raining fire from above. Now that she could see how large the giants were, it became obvious that to do any real damage, she was going to have to be close enough that she would be in range of the giants.

Jim seemed to realize the same thing because he pulled up to give himself time to figure out what to do.

The boulders were still crashing into the giants. Luckily, the boulders were large enough to do damage. They were knocking over the giants and mammoths left and right. It was difficult to see if the giants were going to stay down, but some of the boulders were roughly the size of a giant and a mammoth together.

Alex was glad they had put time into coming up with a plan. If they had just walked blindly into this fight, they would not have survived.

As Alex and Jim continued to gauge what was going on below them, one of the giants who had been knocked over got to his feet. He grabbed bits of the boulder that had exploded against his mammoth’s legs and began throwing them at the riders.

Chine dodged the rock, but Jim took a direct hit to his shoulder-mounted machine gun. He threw on his thrusters, putting more distance between him and the giants. If that was how fast they could throw shrapnel, Jim was going to need more space to maneuver. The mech wasn’t as fast as Chine.

Alex worried for a second that all they had managed to do was provide ammo for the giants, but it seemed like most of the ones who had been knocked over were also knocked out. There were only half as many as there had been before.

One of the giants, the one who had thrown the boulder shards, had a gnarled face, its nose looking like it had been carved from a tree, its eyes deep and heavy, with sadness buried within them. He reached down to his side and pulled out a long, curved horn made from a mammoth tusk. He blew into it, releasing a mournful call that echoed through the valley.

Alex sighed loudly as she shouted to Jim, “Whatever the hell that is, it’s not going to be good!”

As Alex shouted, the giant beneath her blew his horn again. “Not going to have any more of that,” Alex said as she drew her plasma pistol. She took aim and fired, and the horn shattered.

The giant below her smiled, its teeth dark and stained. Then it pulled a black rod from his side and aimed it at Alex. The giant shouted something and Alex felt a wave of energy wash over her, pushing her back. The force of the energy got stronger, shoving Chine back as well.

As Chine tilted backward, Alex felt her feet lifting off Chine’s back. They were no longer anchored. She frantically grabbed her dragon anchor, which was flickering on and off. “Oh, crap, oh crap!” Alex shouted as she floundered, trying to grab something to hang onto.

Alex wasn’t fast enough. She knew the fall was going to hurt, but she needed to think fast. If she wasn’t anchored to Chine, that meant the giants had something that would sever their connection. If they could do it once, they could do it again. Alex was going to be fending for herself.

As the dragon anchor flickered, Alex whipped her hand out again and pulled her scythe out right before the anchor cut off. She clutched the hilt tightly as the giants ahead of her watched her fall. “There really aren’t any easy missions,” she muttered.

Chapter Ten

On the ground, Alex felt powerless. Even with her scythe in her hand, without Chine, she felt like she was simply waiting to die. Fear had overcome her faster than any emotion ever had. Dozens of eyes glared at her from what was quickly becoming a haze, those of the giant who had pulled her from Chine’s back burning brightest of them all.

Alex looked upward, trying to find Chine. It looked like vrosks had detached from the ship above and were now attacking the dragon, trying to keep him away from Alex.

Whoever had organized this attack had figured out a vital aspect of the dragonriders. Dragon was the first part of the job title, rider came second.

Alex glanced at her anchor. It still wasn’t up and running. She wasn’t sure if that meant her connection to Chine was broken or not. As far as Alex knew, their connection was mental and based in Chine’s biology, not the tech attached to Alex’s arm. Chine, can you hear me? she called.

Chine’s voice boomed in Alex’s head. Yes, Alex, I am still here. Are you okay?

The giants were beginning to advance, the one carrying the black rod ahead of the rest, his club resting on his shoulder.

Alex took a step back, her scythe trembling in her hand. Uh, I am for the moment. But I’m staring at a bunch of giants. Get your ass back down here, please. As fast as you can.

Chine groaned in pain, and Alex looked up in time to see Chine whirling, trying to get away from the vrosks that were swarming him. Chine! Alex called.

Chine let loose a jet of fire, but he was still being overwhelmed. I can’t get away, Chine shouted. They must have been planning on separating us. You will have to fight alone until I can get back to you, Alex. Fight well.

Alex’s legs buckled as she took another step back, scanning the air for Jim. She hit her comm but heard nothing. The comms were connected to the dragon anchor. She was alone.

The ground thundered as the group of giants took another step toward Alex. Oh my God oh my God oh my God, Alex thought, the words reverberating in her skull. What am I going to do?

The scythe wasn’t large enough. She was too small and not nearly strong enough. There were too many giants and mammoths. What the hell was a dragonrider without a dragon? If this were Middang3ard VR, this would have been an instant game over, but it wasn’t. Here it meant a slow, agonizing death.

The giant with the black rod stepped away from the rest of the giants as thunder cracked above and rain began to pour. “Ah, you are the human we were warned about,” the giant boomed, his voice nearly as loud as the thunder. “What do they call you?”

Alex’s voice stuck in her throat. She knew she was being taunted but couldn’t answer, simply standing in silence as the giant gloated at her fear.

The leader of the giants pounded his chest and shouted, “Are you a mute as well as a cripple?” He pointed at Alex’s robotic hand. “Let me inform you of the name of the one who will bring your death. I am Hulmor, the First Giant of the Dark One. I will grind your bones up after I tear away your flesh.”

Alex knew she should run, but there was nowhere to go. The giants were much larger than her. She’d be caught in a matter of seconds. Where the hell was Jim? What was he doing up there?

Maybe I can stall until Chine can get down here, Alex thought. “How are you going to do that from all the way over there?” she shouted.

“Oh, so the mouse can speak?” Hulmor chuckled. “After we break you, I’ll boil you alive. That way, you will come right apart, and your bones will crack easier.”

“Break me? Are you talking emotionally or physically? You’re gonna have to be more specific because, I mean, I think I might be emotionally broken already. The last few months have been a hell storm. I saw a bunch of kids at my school die. Then my mind got flayed by your boss and his weird son/child thing or whatever. Oh, and I got dragged into a cross-dimensional rescue mission.”

Alex didn’t know why all those words were pouring out of her, but once she started, she couldn’t stop. They just kept flowing. “I mean, I have a crush on two guys. Which is, like, the least of all my problems. But I really wish it was just my only problem. I miss my parents, and I’m worried how upset and terrified they’d be if they found out how dangerous my life is.”

The giants looked at each other, obviously confused by the rant Alex was giving. Even Hulmor looked puzzled by how the situation was playing out.

Alex started pacing, rubbing her temple with her free hand. “I mean, I am exhausted. Like, really exhausted. I’ve never been this tired in my whole life, and I don’t feel like I can get anything right. I mean, it’s not like I’m doing anything wrong. It just feels like it’s not right. Not good enough. Even this! Chine’s fighting his ass off up there, and I’m sitting here freaking out about whether I’m going to get killed or not. He could get killed. Jim could already be dead! I mean—”

Hulmor clapped his hands, interrupting Alex by shouting, “Human, I think you are confused by—”

“I am NOT FINISHED!” Alex shrieked, the air around her instantly growing hot, a concussive wave of energy streaming out of her body as her eyes flashed red. And just like that, the energy was gone. “But I guess if you want to get all fight-y, let’s get this done. Is it really going to take a dozen of you to kill one human?”

Hulmor still looked stunned by the variety of moods Alex had just gone through. He quickly composed himself, though, and laughed cruelly. “It won’t take any more than me to—”

Jim’s mech crashed into the group of giants, his machine gun firing as he launched two missiles that sent a giant and mammoth flying. Then he leaped among the flurry of flames and bullets lighting the air.

Above, she heard the roaring of mechs as their thrusters cut through the silence of the night. Some of them were heading toward the ship in the distance, and the rest were getting ready to land in the valley with Alex and the giants. “Guess you don’t have a choice,” Alex shouted. “Looks like your friends are gonna have enough on their hands.”

Alex had no idea why she was goading the giant. Chine was still nowhere to be seen, and her dragon anchor still wasn’t online. The brief moment of confidence that had flared up was gone, and she was reminded that she was a very small human standing up to a very large giant.

The giant didn’t need a reminder. He leaped through the air, his club high. Alex lunged to the side, rolling away as the club hit the ground where she had stood, tearing up the earth. Even though the giant was huge, he was fast.

Alex scrambled away from the giant as he chased her, swinging his club. As the club arced down, Alex turned to see it was going to smash into her face. She pulled up her scythe, narrowly blocking the club. The force of the attack sent her skidding back, but she was still on her feet.

Alex looked down at her robotic arm. Steam was coming off of it as its cylinders reset. Alex knew she was stronger on any realm except Earth, but the attack from the giant would have knocked her out a few weeks ago. Maybe the robotic arm wasn’t such a bad idea.

As was usually the case now, Alex switched her scythe to her robotic arm and twirled it once to get used to the weight. Maybe I can do this, she thought. I fought giants earlier today. I’m just fighting another giant now. A larger one, that’s all.

Alex dashed forward as fast as she could, then leaped, spinning in a quarter circle as she slashed at the giant.

Hulmor raised his club, absorbing the force of the blow. It didn’t seem to have fazed him. Alex didn’t care. She’d seen the difference between herself and the giant, one Alex rarely noticed because she was always with Chine.

Alex was ridiculously fast.

Alex, still in the air, whipped around, twirling her scythe behind her back, and slashed again at Hulmor, who had to take a step back before she attacked again. Her next few attacks were relentless, her robotic arm steaming with each attack.

Hulmor continued to back up, barely able to move his club in time to catch her blows.

Alex hit the ground and caught her breath, sizing up the situation. She didn’t want to just run into this. She’d done that enough. Alex wanted to understand the fight. That didn’t mean she couldn’t trust her gut. It just meant there was more to her than that.

There had been a flash of something earlier. Alex had felt it. Fiery energy had given her a boost of confidence. Could it have been the augment she and Chine shared, the one that allowed her to make use of the draconic fluid in her dragon anchor? How had she accessed it before?

The last thing Alex had remembered before the sudden surge of energy was getting angry at being cut off. Maybe it was anger that triggered it.

Alex tried to think of something that pissed her off. Surprisingly, it wasn’t difficult, but nothing happened.

Hulmor was breathing heavily but unwilling to betray his weariness. “Do you need a break, human?” he taunted.

Alex looked around the battlefield. The mechs above were helping Chine take care of the vrosks on his back. Jim and the other mechs were cutting down the rest of the giants and mammoths. Now that Alex thought about it, this mission hadn’t been hard. “No,” Alex called. “Let’s finish this.”

Hulmor and Alex ran toward each other. The giant went for the attack and Alex pushed herself a little harder, felt her legs aching as she tried for extra speed. Then, there it was—that flash again. She felt flames burst out over her body for a second as she gained a massive speed boost.

Alex slid under her opponent’s legs, stretched out her scythe, and slashed as she turned in a circle. The giant let out a scream of pain as his legs separated from his feet at the ankles.

Hulmor hit the ground, screaming in pain as his stumps bled. Alex looked down at the giant, reeling from the sickening gore.

Alex forced herself to remember what she was doing. Why she was here. That she was at war. She swallowed hard, reminding herself that Hulmor would have torn her to shreds if he had gotten the chance.

The scythe was raised and it fell, putting an end to Hulmor’s pained mutters of revenge.

Alex looked down at her dragon anchor as it turned back on. Then she went over to Hulmor’s body and picked up the black rod he had used to disconnect her from the Chine. She pocketed it before reaching out to her dragon. Hey, buddy, you still okay?

Chine landed right behind Alex, causing her to jump in surprise. A simple yes would have been enough, she said as she leaped onto his back.

As the dragon took off, he said, I saw your fight. You didn’t need my assistance. Perhaps you needed me to stay out of it, he said.

The rest of the skirmish was clearing out. The mechs had made short work of the giants and mammoths. Yeah, maybe I did need that, Alex said. It’s different when you aren’t there. Kinda terrible, you know? It’s easy to forget what I’m doing when everything is moving so fast, or you’re just chomping and burning through everything. Maybe I need to remember.

Chine didn’t answer, so Alex was left to interpret his silence. Instead of dwelling on it, she commed Jollies. “How did everything turn out on your end?”

Jollies sounded relaxed when she replied, “Easy-peasy.”

“Good to hear. We’re heading to the projected crash site right now.”

* * *

Alex and the rest of the Team Boundless arrived at the landing site. The ship had descended much faster once the vrosks had been removed from its sides.

The relief was instant when Alex could see this was indeed a ship and nothing like the meteor she’d seen before. The ship could hardly be called that; if anything, it seemed like an escape pod. It was no larger than twenty feet in diameter and was a perfect sphere, only the outline of a potential door disturbing its smooth and polished surface.

Most of the mech riders were standing around, watching the ship. No one made a move. That was when Alex realized Team Boundless probably held rank in the situation. If Roy or the teachers weren’t present, Boundless had the highest-ranking riders.

Alex looked at the rest of the team. “You guys want to come with me? I don’t feel qualified to be an alien’s first and only interaction. Plus, it’ll let whoever it is know that this isn’t one of those humans-are-the-best-and-rule-the-world kinda things.”

Jollies flew over and landed on Alex’s shoulder. “That’s an odd human thing to say, but sure.”

Jim and Gill came over to Alex as well, and they approached the scorched earth where the ship had landed.

Alex stood before it for some time with the rest of Boundless, but nothing seemed to be happening. She wasn’t sure if the passenger had been hurt or if there was some kind of technical issue, but waiting seemed just as rude as ignoring it. Not knowing what else to do, Alex leaned forward and knocked twice on the door.

The ship shot steam out of several holes that appeared. The faint lines gradually became more pronounced until a door popped open.

As the steam dissipated, Alex could make out the shape and features of whatever was inside the ship. It was humanoid and had a round head slightly larger than the rest of its body, the top of its head looking like a jewel of some sort. The creature had similar jeweled pieces on its chest, elbows, and knees.

The alien was oddly muscular, as if it were a fighter and regularly indulged in intense physical training. Its long, thick tail was curled around its waist. It was lying on the deck of the ship just inside the door.

Jim whistled as he took a step back. “That is not what I was expecting,” he muttered before turning to Jollies and Gill. “You guys ever seen anything like that before?”

Gill shook his head as he watched the alien closely. “No,” he finally replied. “I do not think this is from any of the known planets of the nine realms. This being is an alien to us all.”

The alien’s eyes fluttered open slowly. It began sitting up, groaning as it held its side. “Is this Middang3ard,” the alien muttered in a faint, almost echoey voice.

Alex stepped forward and said, “Yes, this is Middang3ard. My name is Alex. This is Team Boundless. We’re here to help you.”

The alien nodded as it tried to sit up taller. “Good. Take me to whoever is in charge. I have a way to stop the Dark One once and for all.”

Alex and the rest of Team Boundless exchanged glances as the mech riders murmured amongst themselves. “Hold on a second,” she said as she took a step away and commed Myrddin.

Myrddin sounded as if he had sobered up considerably when he picked up. “Alex, how did the extraction go?”

“We found…an alien. He wants to meet with you. You’re the one who’s in charge of everything, right? Like, across the board.”

“You could say that. A unit is already on its way. It should be there shortly.”

As Myrddin hung up, the ground brightened with beams of light from an extraction vessel. The vessel floated in the sky like a hanging city block.

The alien in the escape pod covered its eyes as it stared up at the vessel. Alex came over, shielding her eyes as well. “Guess our ride is here. Welcome to Middang3ard.” She extended her hand to the alien.

The alien looked at Alex’s hand for a long time before understanding bloomed on its face. With a nod, it took the hand and, looking Alex in the eyes, said, “Thank you. I only hope I have arrived in time.”

Author Notes Ramy Vance

April 3, 2020

I've been hard at work on follow-up last year’s hit series – The Toddler.

Seems the Toddler is about to face his greatest challenge yet when a new heroes comes onto the scene.

Meet … The Sibling … Pray her nappy is dry.

Tired of the same old urban fantasy plot lines? Looking for something brand new and mind-bending?

Check out Ramy Vance’s brand new series Urban Fantasy series: The Silbling

Last year, the Toddler saved the city from a powerful magic. After battling dragons and dirty diapers, the Toddler thought he was prepared to face anything.

But now that there’s a new hero in town, the Toddler must face his greatest challenge yet. He must learn to share.

If you like the Dresden Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Seasame Street, then you’ll be helplessly addicted to The Toddler’s spin-off series: The Sibling

COMING SOON!

Praise for The Sibling:

★★★★★ “Finally a breath of … well … seriously stinky air.”

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* * *

Can’t wait? Don’t worry, we got you covered. Check out Ramy Vance’s Mortality Bites series.

Katrina Darling is an ex-vampire just trying to figure out how to be human again. Too bad her past has other ideas.

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★★★ “Not nearly as good, but at least Kat is potty trained.”

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An Alien Affair

Dragon Approved™ Book Nine

Chapter One

The Wasps Nest was a marvel of modern technology and magic. The design had been Myrddin’s-he was the wizard who had dedicated his life to the destruction of the Dark One—and the technology used was his attempt to bring together what he’d seen humanity excel at with what he knew magic could do.

The Nest was unrivaled in any of the nine realms. True, there were races who could boast of their magical creations and artifacts, but there was nothing like Myrddin’s project, a constantly growing, changing, and learning machine imbued with a magic that only Myrddin seemed to understand.

It hadn’t been built for housing alien species or with decontamination in mind, but luckily, due to its ingenious design, it was prepared for the extraterrestrial guest. All that had been needed was a quick word between Myrddin and Roy to give the team enough time to plan.

That was why Alex had never seen this particular hallway or section of the Nest before. It was an alabaster medical bay split into two sections with a thick glass wall.

The alien was on one side of the glass, staring down at its hands, apparently still disoriented. The extraction from the crash site had been rushed and uncomfortable. Even Alex thought Myrddin could have been more accommodating.

They were all acting like the alien was something to be afraid of, as if it didn’t come to their world specifically to offer them help against the Dark One. Everyone was acting like they’d watched too many alien movies. Alex had never seen one, but she had often listened in on her dad watching them.

Science fiction had been her father’s favorite genre, and anything to do with the subject of aliens interested him. It got to the point where he’d once claimed he wished he would be abducted. Alex and her mom had teased him for years, telling him his dreams of being kidnapped by some extraterrestrial being were insane and it was never going to happen.

Dad would freak the hell out if he saw this, Alex thought as she stared at the alien through the glass. And he’d have an answer to his age-old question: yes, everyone in the universe does speak English.

She had to tell her dad about the most recent visitor. There was no way he would believe it. Luckily, Alex didn’t have to rely on her word. She flipped up her HUD visor and started snapping pictures.

The alien looked up from his hands and stared at Alex. She suddenly realized how rude she was being and how frightening this experience must be. The alien was obviously annoyed that it was being treated like an invader.

Alex walked over to the glass and placed her hand on it, hoping it would understand.

Shouldn’t be too hard, she thought. He obviously understood my words.

As if it could read Alex’s mind, the alien stood and approached the glass, resting its hand against it as well. They looked into each other’s eyes.

Alex had seen a lot of strange things since she got her eyesight, but there was something very odd about the alien’s eyes. The irises seemed to be constantly expanding and contracting. It was impossible, but Alex couldn’t deny what she was seeing. It was not that its eyes were sunken or that they implied some kind of wisdom; rather, it was as if they were a portal into another world, one that stretched away to infinity and was filled with welcoming darkness.

Alex had to look away. Staring into the alien’s eyes gave her the distinct feeling of falling and not being able to catch herself. She’d felt something like that while looking at Gill or Jim at times, but there was no emotion behind the sensation she was getting from the alien, just the physical feeling.

As Alex pulled away, Roy and Myrddin walked into the decontamination area. They were both wearing hazmat suits that looked almost laughable on them. Neither of them seemed to be joking, though.

The two men walked up and Myrddin waved his hand, causing the barrier to slide open enough for both of them to step through. They approached the alien, and the three began speaking together. The alien seemed to respond, but Alex couldn’t be sure since she couldn’t hear through the glass.

After a couple of minutes, Roy stepped out and pulled off his mask. “You were the one who found it, right?” he asked, breathing in as much fresh air as he could.

Alex peeked over Roy’s shoulders to see what Myrddin and the alien were doing. “Yeah, with help from the rest of Team Boundless.”

“You spoke to it. And touched the ship.”

Alex thought back, trying to remember if any of the rest of the team had spoken to the alien. She wasn’t sure, but she was very certain that she had touched the ship. It had been warm, almost as if it were alive. “Yeah, I did. Why?”

Roy pointed to the door he and Myrddin had come through. “You’re quarantined. Come on, follow me.” He walked past Alex, only turning for a moment to motion for her to follow him.

Alex didn’t bother asking why she was being quarantined. She’d worked with Roy enough to know he would tell her when he thought she was ready to hear. Besides, he was her commanding officer, even if he was a mech rider, and it hadn’t been a suggestion.

Roy led Alex down a long hall to a room not much different than the one the alien was in. The glass door slid open, and Roy gestured that Alex should step inside. She did, and the door closed behind her. “Sorry about all that. Myrddin’s orders.”

Alex went over and sat down on the bench in the room. She could hear Roy perfectly, so it must have been different from the room the alien was being held in. “Kinda figured. I don’t usually get sent to my room without a reason.”

Roy rubbed off the sweat beading on his forehead and then scratched his stubbly five-o’clock shadow. “The old man’s freaking out a little bit. I’ll be back. Myrddin and I need to chat with you after this thing gets finished telling us what it’s doing here.”

“It’s not a thing,” Alex corrected, indignant at Roy and her situation.

Roy flung his arms up as he turned to leave. “Far as we know, this thing could be talking mold or an irradiated fingernail shaving. It’s a thing until it lets me know whatever the hell it is. I’ll be back, kid.”

Roy walked off, shutting the door behind him as Alex jumped to her feet, shouting, “Could you at least leave me a book or something?”

It was too late. Roy didn’t hear her, but the Nest did. The glass wall next to Alex opened up, and a leather-bound book shot out at Alex and fell to the ground. It was titled All You Need to Know About Space.

Alex groaned as she picked up the book and started flipping through it. At least the Nest is starting to get a sense of humor, she thought.

For the next two hours, Alex read through the book. It was dry, lacked any wit, and seemed to have an ever-expanding, nonsensical idea about outer space. The more Alex read, the more she was convinced that the author should not write anything on any subject.

Once Alex’s irritation peaked and solidified, she tossed the book across the room and gave a frustrated groan. Why the hell was she the one locked up? It wasn’t like she came from space. Sometimes it felt like Myrddin and Roy were punishing her for doing her job.

The glass door slid open, and both Roy and Myrddin walked into the quarantine room. Both of them were still wearing their hazmat suits. As they walked toward Alex, a faint mist that smelled of lilacs sprayed throughout the room. “What’s with the mist?”

Myrddin took a seat on the bench and pulled off his mask. “Just a precaution. We need to make sure we’re going about this the right way. Alex, when did you first see the ship?”

Not even a hello. Wow, she thought before answering Myrddin. “Around early evening. I don’t know, maybe five-thirty?”

Roy narrowed his eyes at Alex. “What were you doing in that area?”

“Why am I the one on trial right now? Isn’t it a good thing I reported a strange thing in the sky? And I’ll have you know, it was my day off, so I went on a date.”

Roy patted Alex on the back as he chuckled. “Glad to hear you were making the most of your leave time. Not everyone knows how to spend it. Some of those nerds read on their days off. Who was the lucky—”

Roy trailed off as he turned to see Myrddin staring daggers in his back. “Uh, I meant, good thing you didn’t forget your duty to report things.”

Myrddin folded his hands together as the lines in his forehead became more pronounced. “You are not in trouble, Alex. We’re only asking because this is unexpected.”

Alex hadn’t ever heard Myrddin admit to being caught off-guard before. She let go of her anger and let her curiosity take over. “What do you mean unexpected? Is that thing a for-real alien? Like, from another planet?”

Myrddin shook his head as he kneaded his forehead wrinkles. “When there are nine realms, each with their own universe, the term ‘alien’ stops having any real meaning. Humans are alien to elves, and so on and so forth. But this creature is something else entirely. It’s not from our dimension.”

“Wait, you mean like the meteor? That thing that had the Dark One’s persona or essence in it?”

Myrddin reached out to the wall, which opened, letting a tray with a cup of iced water pass through. “Similar to it. It’s from the same dimension, but it came here in a conventional fashion. That’s why you and it are quarantined for the moment. We can’t risk there being an interdimensional virus or something that our bodies aren’t used to. It should be fine, but we need to be safe.”

Alex didn’t want to think about the meteor. But if this thing was from the same dimension as the Dark One, there was a good chance it had witnessed what he was capable of firsthand. “So, why’s it here?”

“We were only able to get a little information. The creature referred to the Dark One as the Devourer of Worlds, and it meant that quite literally. I don’t quite know what to make of that, but the creature fell asleep shortly after. We plan on speaking with it more tomorrow. We will be examining the ship as well.”

“Great. Thanks for the check-in. Anything else I should know?”

Myrddin and Roy exchanged glances. “Guess I’ll tell her,” Roy said, sighing. “You’re going to have to spend the night here. And most of tomorrow. Just to be safe.”

Alex groaned and sat back down on the bench. “Are you kidding me? All night?”

Myrddin and Roy were heading to the door. The old man looked over his shoulder. “If you need anything, the wall will help. But be very specific. I’m still working the kinks out. Thank you again, Alex.”

They left Alex alone with her thoughts. Even though she tried to fight it, her mind inevitably turned to the meteor and what she had seen within it. Nope, Alex thought. No nightmares tonight.

Alex focused on what she wanted: company. She closed her eyes and imagined Jollies’ smiling face. When she opened them, the wall next to her had built a holoprojector and Jollies’ comm frequency was ready to be dialed. After a quick ring, Jollies picked up. “Hello?”

Alex sighed in relief. “Thank God. It’s me, Alex.”

“What are you calling me from? What happened to your comm?”

“It’s a long story, but I’m in quarantine.”

Jollies popped up on the holoscreen. She was brushing her teeth. “Long story? Good. I’m all ears,” she giggled.

They talked for a long time, then Alex went to sleep.

Chapter Two

Alex awoke in the middle of the night. She felt like she couldn’t breathe, and her heart was pounding fast enough to crack her rib cage. Sweat poured from her brow. Worst of all, she wasn’t sure if she was herself.

Her fear had been growing since the night after she destroyed the meteor that had come rocketing through the sky a few weeks ago. The first night after the mission, Alex’d had a nightmare, a rarity for her. Even as a child, she’d rarely had nightmares. That had changed recently.

The nightmares were never understandable. They were not like dreams. She didn’t find herself repeating her experience of the meteor, nor did her mind take past experiences and layer them on top of that one horrifying episode.

Instead, Alex dreamed of a color that permeated her mind like some kind of gas, staining the inside of her skull, leaking out of her skin, and submerging her eyes until they were a deep, awful green. Alex felt the color crawling up her body like living slime, covering her from head to toe, and then stretching out toward her friends, toward the end of the universe.

It was this dream, recurring nearly every night, that Alex awoke from. She rubbed her eyes, trying to remind herself that she had a body. That she was not some abstract interplay of light and darkness. That she had weight to her. By the time she was comfortable again, she felt stupid. It was obvious she wasn’t a color.

As she pulled back the blankets supplied by the magical hole in the wall, she wondered why she had started having these dreams. Obviously, she’d been shaken up by what had happened on the meteor. Anyone would have been. The whole thing had seemed like a bad acid trip, or at least what she’d heard that was like.

Yet Alex felt it was something more than the disturbing nature of her experience. She felt that if she were just dreaming about that, then it would have been more focused, not this vague feeling of dread about becoming green.

The Nest needs to hire a therapist. You rarely heard about that or saw it in war or science fiction movies, except for Troi on the Enterprise, Alex mused as she leaned back on the pillow mattress she’d built atop the glass bench.

As she tried to shake the last bit of sleep from her head, she imagined herself in a coffee shop, reading a book that would take some of the edge off her nightmare. She turned to the magical hole in the wall and took the steaming coffee that appeared alongside a copy of The Interpretation of Dreams by Carl Jung.

Alex had heard the name before, although psychology had never been an interest of hers. But if it was going to help her better understand her dreams, it was worth a try.

The next few hours dragged by as Alex powered through the first chapters of the book, sipping coffee. She had no idea what time it was but also didn’t want to check. Obsessing about how much longer quarantine was going to last sounded like about as fun as finishing Jung’s book.

She could see why she didn’t like to read psychology. It was filled with terms and concepts she’d never encountered. The book read like a foreign language. Further, it made her tired, and sleeping was the last thing Alex wanted to do.

That didn’t matter, though, because she drifted off to sleep in her third hour of reading. She woke up screaming from the same recurring dream. Waking up this time was much more violent since Alex had thrown herself off the bench and was tangled up in her blankets.

By the time she got untangled, she was panting and trying to catch her breath. She tossed the blankets back onto the bench and turned to find Jim staring at her through the glass. She smiled sheepishly, attempting to play it off as if she were doing something perfectly normal.

Jim had a picnic basket, a bottle of pop, and his adorable smile. He was also dressed very nicely in a collared shirt and paisley tie with tan chinos. He knocked politely. “Mind if I come in? We still have a date to finish.”

Alex walked up to the glass and tapped on it. “I’m quarantined if you hadn’t noticed. I don’t think you’re even allowed to be in the same building as me.”

Jim held a piece of paper up to the glass that read Free of Alien Disease. “I got quarantined too and got my all-clear,” Jim said. “Myrddin figures that if I’m clean, you probably are too. But just in case, we’re to stay on this level. I asked if I could tell you the good news and…well, um… So, you wanna finish our date?” He held out the blanket.

Alex spread her arms wide, motioning that there was more than enough space for Jim. The glass door slid open, and he stepped inside her prison. He looked around, nodding as he appraised the room. “I like what you’ve done with the place. It’s got a European flair to it.”

Alex playfully shoved the mech rider as she walked past him to sit on the bench. “Shut up. What did you bring, anyway?”

“Some snacks. Figured it had been a while since you’d eaten anything. They kinda forgot to feed me while I was locked up. You would have thought I got sent to prison or something.”

“You didn’t use the magic wall?”

Jim raised an incredulous eyebrow at Alex before she leaned over to the magical hole in the wall and took out a pulled pork sandwich. “No,” Jim exclaimed, his eyes wide. “I would have definitely used that if I’d known about it.”

Alex offered the sandwich to him.

“Yeah, it’s this new thing Myrddin was working on, I guess. It’s kinda freaky, but I don’t know, pretty convenient. But anyway, let’s take care of this food.”

The two dug into the assortment of snacks Jim brought, demolishing them quickly before turning to the magical hole in the wall. They thought of whatever they could to satisfy the hunger that had been awakened in both of them from grapes and apple slices.

As the two ate from the treasure trove of junk food they’d supplied themselves with, Jim noticed the Jung book on the floor. “I don’t know you were into Jungian psychology,” he mused.

Alex grabbed the book and threw it onto the pile of blankets behind her. She didn’t want to talk about her dreams. She’d just started to feel normal again. “Oh, that was the wall screwing up what I was looking for.”

“Oh? What were you looking for?”

Alex couldn’t think fast enough, caught in her badly thought-out lie. “Uh, I don’t know anything about Jung or psychology, but I was trying to find something about dreams. You know, like how to interpret them.”

“Gotcha. I only asked because my mom has tons of that stuff lying around. She’s a Jungian therapist. I’ve read a couple of his books just ‘cause they’re everywhere in the house, but I don’t understand most of it. The dream one is a little easier, though. It made some sense.”

“Do you ever have nightmares?”

Jim looked taken aback by the question. His brow furrowed. “Why do you want to know?”

Alex thought Jim’s response was odd. Usually he was fairly candid, but Alex noticed that he had thrown up a wall in a matter of seconds. “Is that a weird question?”

“A little bit. Most people ask what you dream about, not what you have nightmares about.”

“I didn’t ask what you had nightmares about. I wanted to know if you ever had any.”

Jim still looked uncomfortable, but he finally answered. “I didn’t use to have nightmares, even when I was a kid. But recently, yeah, I’ve been having them. Really bad ones, too. The weird thing is that when I wake up, I don’t think what I’m dreaming about is even remotely scary. It’s…I don’t know…like a…”

“Color. Is it a nightmare about a color?”

Jim glanced up from his food, his bottom lip trembling. He looked as if someone had told him how he was going to die; his face was pale. “How did you know?”

Alex tapped the side of her head. “Because I’ve been having the same dream almost every night. Just this green color.”

“Like from the meteor?”

“Exactly.”

Alex and Jim exchanged glances. How was this even possible? Jim was the first one to try to offer an explanation. “It must be from what we saw, you know,” he stammered. “That green stuff with the meteor was pretty weird.”

“It was more than weird, Jim.”

“People don’t have the same dreams.”

Alex didn’t know why she wasn’t convinced by what Jim was saying. Minutes ago, she’d been telling herself that her color dreams weren’t strange. Hearing Jim act like everything was okay was casting light on the situation’s unnaturalness.

Jim was still trying to explain away what they had both just realized. “We went through a traumatic experience together. Of course, we’re going to have similar dreams. People who fight in the same battles or war or whatever probably dream the same crap—the color red and everything.”

“I don’t think this is the same thing, Jim.”

Jim looked as if he were ready to run out of the room. His fear was palpable. He had the gaze of a small animal, something that realizes it is prey and its life is not its own. Whatever was going on deeply disturbed him. Alex could see it in his haunted eyes.

The silence stretching between them was broken by the crackling of the intercom and Alex’s dragon anchor roaring to life. “Alex, we need you in Bay Seven.”

“Bay Seven? We have a Bay Seven?”

There was an audible sigh. “Does no one go over the site maps anymore? It’s Level Seven, directly below where you are. Bring Jim as well.”

Alex sighed, irritated that she wasn’t going to get a moment to finish the conversation. “Well, you heard the man,” Alex muttered as she walked past Jim, who was still rooted to the spot, his eyes distant as if he were dreaming while standing. “Hey! Jim!” she shouted.

Jim snapped back to reality. “Sorry. Let’s go.”

* * *

Part of the docking bay had been converted to a quarantine area, and that was where the alien’s ship was. Myrddin and Roy were next to the ship with the technicians who were looking it over.

Roy waved Alex and Jim over when he saw them enter. “Glad to see you two didn’t catch any alien cooties,” he joked.

“Was there anything to catch?”

Roy mimed spiders running over his forearms as he nodded. “Oh, yeah, definitely. We picked up a handful of microbes that don’t exist in this reality. Luckily for us, they don’t seem to interact with our molecular structure. It would be like if you sneezed on an ant. Doesn’t do shit, you know?”

If there was something Alex knew nothing about, it was interdimensional physiology. “So, you brought us down here to check out the ship?” Alex asked, trying to bring the conversation back to something rooted in her world.

Myrddin, who was hunched over, asked, “Would you please come closer?”

Alex and Jim came over. “How different from the meteor you saw is this ship?”

It always came back to the foul thing that had rocketed through the sky and nearly destroyed the planet. Something like the Dark One had been inside. It had crept into Alex’s mind, and she knew now that it was responsible for her dreams. Even though they’d managed to destroy the meteor and the bit of the Dark One or whatever the hell it was inside it, something still lingered.

Or at least Alex thought something was lingering. She didn’t know what it could have been. The meteor had been destroyed. She’d blown it up herself.

Yet the color, the green shade—where did that come from, the color in her nightmares?

“Alex!”

Myrddin’s voice pulled Alex away from her thoughts. “They’re nothing alike,” she finally said. “This is a ship. The meteor was more like a living hive, and the whole thing felt like a hallucination. You remember my briefing about the child being in the mind of the hive. It was nothing like this.”

Myrddin stood up as he continued to study the ship. “That was what I thought. You didn’t mention any odd experiences when coming into contact with this ship,” he mused.

“What does that mean for us? And our alien friend?”

“For us? It means this didn’t come from the Dark One’s planet. His dimension but not his planet. For our friend? It means there are a lot more questions to be answered. You two are dismissed. Alex, I’d like you to stay one more night in quarantine, just to be safe. I’m not sure if Jollies’ molecular structure can handle this dimension’s radiation.”

Alex was more than happy to have another night of solitude. The conversation she’d had with Jim about their dreams had unsettled her. “Sure, no problem. Oh, I almost forgot!”

Alex hit her dragon anchor and pulled out the black rod that had separated her and Chine’s connection. “I got hit with one of these by a giant and it killed my connection with Chine. Thought you might want to take a look at this tech.”

Myrddin gave the rod a quick glance. “I’ll set you up with a communication device in your room. Contact Abby from Earth’s HQ and have her run tests on the rod. If this is tech the Dark One has, we need to neutralize it as soon as possible.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Alex saluted Roy and Myrddin before turning to leave. She caught a glimpse of Jim out of the corner of her eye. He was deep in thought, staring at the alien’s ship. As Alex turned around, she could have sworn she saw a flash of green light, but she couldn’t be certain.

Chapter Three

Back in quarantine, Alex pulled up the holoprojector installed in the wall while trying to remember what Abby looked like. They had only met once briefly. Team Boundless had been recruited at the last minute to help with a rescue mission Abby and the rest of the DGA, Dark Gate Angels, were working on.

When the mission was over, Abby and Alex had had a bit of time to talk, and once Alex realized Abby was a human teenager like her, they decided to stay in touch.

Now that Alex was calling Abby, she wished that they would be talking about something other than work, but a conversation was a conversation.

The holoprojector on the wall blinked as the call was being placed, then Abby’s face popped up on the screen. She was wearing a white coat and thick glasses, her short dreads sticking out at odd angles. Behind the glasses, there were large dark circles under her eyes, the sort you only get from long periods of time without sleep. “Hello?” she muttered

Alex waved at her and smiled brightly. “Hey, Abby, it’s me, Alex. From the dragonriders, remember?”

Abby pushed up her glasses and yawned widely before returning the smile. “Of course! How are you doing? I was thinking about calling you today, actually.”

“I’m not too bad. I’m sort of in quarantine right now for coming across an alien ship. I seemed to be clear of any interdimensional microbes, but Myrddin doesn’t want me mixing with the general population just in case.”

Abby didn’t seem fazed by the news that aliens existed. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Never a dull moment, saving Middang3ard.”

“It was my day off, too. I’ve been cooped up for two days.”

“Sounds terrible. I would have lost my mind by now. How are you keeping sane?”

Alex picked up her Jung book off of the floor. “A lot of reading. I’ve been getting visitors too. The quarantine isn’t too bad. At least I don’t have to worry about being sent on a mission while I’m here.”

“True, true.”

Alex held up the black rod she’d gotten from the giant. “Sorry, but I had to call on business. There’s something I need analyzed if you have time.”

Abby lowered her glasses and stared at the rod through the holoprojector. “No problem. Figured you were as busy as I am. Lemme see what I can do. Can you send it over?”

Alex wondered if she could. Myrddin didn’t seem to have thought it was a problem when he’d told Alex to share her discovery with Abby. “Maybe, ” Alex murmured as she tried to think of the right thing to concentrate on. She didn’t know how bases traded information or objects like this, so Alex focused on Abby getting the rod.

When Alex opened her eyes, the wall in front of her had contorted so that there was a glowing pad before her. Seemed simple enough. Alex placed the black rod on the pad, which turned light pink before transporting the rod. Then the pad sucked itself back in.

Abby turned around onscreen, looking over her shoulder. “Okay, looks like I got it. Anything you can tell me about it?”

Alex wrapped her feet in the blankets lying on the floor. “Not really. All I know is that a giant aimed it at me and it shut down all my gear. I couldn’t even hold onto my dragon.”

Abby held the black rod up to the screen. “I can see why that would have you worried. I’ll take a look at it and call you if I figure anything out. It was nice seeing you again.”

“Thanks for taking a look for me. And it was good to see you again.”

Abby waved quickly, and the video cut out. Back to her little room of isolation. She decided to read a bit more and see if there was something in the Jung book to help her. It was easier to understand, but most of the information was way above Alex’s head. There was nothing more boring than trying to educate yourself when you were trapped.

Alex decided to take a break. She leaned close to the wall, imagining a large iced soda and a cheeseburger with extra onions and pickles. The hole coughed the food up, and Alex sat down on the floor to eat while she wrote a letter to her parents.

Since arriving back from the last mission within the meteor, Alex hadn’t spoken with her folks much, not after reassuring them that she was alive and well. Finding time to write a letter with her class load and training was hard enough. That, coupled with not wanting to give her parents any cause to worry, was enough to put Alex off writing a letter. There was no way she was going to tell them she’d lost an arm.

That brought up the question of what they needed to know. Alex did not like thinking about communicating with her parents in that way. It felt dishonest, like a double life, but what other choice did she have? Her mom and dad weren’t military like Jim’s parents. They had been reluctant to let her come to Middang3ard to begin with. If they found out how much danger she was in, they’d probably demand that she come back home.

Could Alex even go home? The criteria for her service had never been explicitly stated. From what she could tell, everyone who had been helping Myrddin had been doing it for a long time, but it didn’t seem like he was keeping anyone here contractually.

Alex figured it was because people believed what they were doing mattered. The Dark One’s mind, or at least part of it, had been laid open to Alex. There was no way she could go back to living a regular life with that thing out there.

Once Alex started writing, the information her parents needed to know flowed out.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Sorry it’s taken me so long to write to you. I’ve been really busy. Like, you have no idea how busy. Anyway, I don’t want to bore you with all the military stuff, but here are some of the highlights.

So, you should know because I’m going to keep talking about it. Jim and I went on a date. Now, I don’t want to make a big deal out of it, but before you ask, Mom, it was soooooo magical. And before you ask, Dad, he was a perfect gentleman.

There were fairies and a picnic and everything. It was nice to hang out with another human. Not that I don’t like hanging out with everyone, but it gets a little lonely, not being able to talk about TV or junk like that sometimes. Look at me, right, talking to people about TV. Now that I can see, I watch TV. Who would have thought? Between you and me, I wasn’t missing much.

Other than that, things have been pretty exciting. I’m doing well in my studies, and the missions I’ve been on have all been successful. I have my own team and everything. Also, my roommate is amazing. She’s a pixie and a little spitfire. I think you both would love her. But anyway, let me know how you guys are doing? I know we can have visitors here if you ever want to see what my new home is like. Let me give you a heads up: it is very weird. Send me a chunky letter to read! Seriously.

I love you both so much,

Alex

She considered telling her dad about the alien but decided against it. Not now, not until they knew more about who or what the creature was.

Once Alex was done with the letter, she emailed it to her parents.

Alex checked the time. It was still pretty early in the evening, but the cheeseburger had put her in a food coma. Sleep was coming for her, regardless. She didn’t complain, though. The last few days had been exhausting, and she still didn’t feel like she’d gotten a decent night’s sleep.

And it was nice, not hearing Jollies’ snoring. Alex still didn’t understand how such a small pixie was able to produce so much noise.

Alex grabbed the pillows and blankets off the floor and tossed her leftovers into the wall’s hole. Then she cuddled up on the bench, snuggling her face into the pillow until she could hardly breathe and her face was hot.

That was how she drifted to sleep.

* * *

The earth was soft. Something was chirping, she didn’t know what. The inside of her mouth was as soft as velvet, learning itself, the back of her teeth soft and malleable.

Alex’s hands reached up out of the earth. She’d been buried but did not know by whom or where. It could have been anywhere, but it was a smell that woke her up, which sent her fingers searching above the fertile womb earth that now birthed her, confused and bowlegged.

Forward she went into the darkness, which was lacquered thick and heavy with the scent of flowers unseen and unknown. They were not from Earth. Alex could have identified them if they were from Earth.

Nor were they from Middang3ard. No, this was something else. It was not familiar.

Alex continued her search, her feet moving forward as if something was pulling her forward. She was a slow-moving arrow. There was a destination, and she moved toward it inevitably.

There was a crow cawing, a call that sent shivers down Alex’s spine. She knew what was coming now. This was how it always happened.

She wasn’t far from her birth canal. She could go back. It would be possible to find her way back.

Alex felt as if she always ran, no matter the reason or circumstance.

The crow stopped cawing. The air was now hot and humid, clinging like a second skin waiting to be peeled back.

The blackness sizzled and foamed above as if it were a plastic plate melting in a fire. It reeled back, and beneath was a streak of green light, filtering down like smoke, filling the sky. Every color was present, with a bright jade flame that threatened to engulf all.

Alex stood, watching the green insinuate itself into her universe. It did not care for the stars that fell like fruit once they were touched or crows whose eyes bulged like bugs when the green washed over them. The color brought silence, indifference. It made Alex’s legs buckle under the weight of her fear.

She ran in no particular direction. The green was coming down around her. It didn’t matter where she went.

And then the green began to pull back. It was running, hiding from something bright and loud down on the ground, not too far from Alex. She knew that was where she had to go. As she ran toward the sound and the light, the green pulled away.

The alien from the ship was basking in the light, its legs crossed, staring up at the green, singing loudly. It was driving the green away.

Alex stood there, watching the creature. She was very aware that she was not dreaming about the alien; it was in her dreams. “What are you doing here?”

The alien did not stop singing. It merely looked at the sky. Its eyes fastened on Alex and her brain slid out of this dream and into many others, all playing at the same time. There were many voices screaming in pain and agony, folk who looked like the alien, their bodies piled high in ditches as blood poured from the heavens in a great sheet.

Alex fell to her knees, covering her ears, trying to block the sound of so much pain. There were few words, but the ones Alex could make out were “the Dark One,” over and over.

The crow began cawing again.

Alex snapped awake, gasping for breath. She was still in the quarantine room. It was a little after eight in the morning. Her dragon anchor was peeping, a message from Myrddin. “Quarantine is officially over. You may now mix with the general population. Come to the alien’s room ASAP. He says he needs to speak with you.”

Chapter Four

Alex was met by some scientists who supplied her with a change of armor. She followed them down the halls to the room that held the alien. Myrddin and Roy were standing on the other side of the glass, waiting for her.

The alien looked at Alex when she walked in. The same deep darkness was in its eyes, but Alex didn’t feel the overwhelming sense of dread like before. Instead, she felt almost as if the eyes were inviting her to step closer, to engage in conversation. To listen and learn.

Myrddin motioned for Alex to come to his side. “He requested to speak to you by name,” Myrddin informed Alex. “He identifies as male, by the way. We can stop saying ‘it.’”

Alex wasn’t surprised he wanted to talk to her. She had just been dreaming with him, she was certain now—not dreaming of, dreaming with. “Did he happen to give you a name?”

Myrddin shook his head. “He’s refused to talk to anyone other than you. I guess he must have a different idea of ‘take me to your leader’ than we’ve seen in the movies. We’ll be out here in case you need anything.”

The glass slid open, and Alex stepped into the room. The alien stared at her but made no motion. The dragonrider took the initiative, walking over to the bench and sitting down next to him. “My name’s Alex,” she said as she extended her hand.

The alien took her hand and shook it with the familiarity of a human. “My name is Vardis. It is good to meet you properly.”

“You were in my head last night, weren’t you?”

“Yes, we found ourselves sharing the same dream. It was unexpected. Usually, my kind cannot dream with others of different realms, but with you, it was almost like your dream called out to me. I was within it before I realized.”

Alex thought the order of what Vardis had said was backward. Her recollection of her dream was a little fuzzy, but she knew Vardis had pulled her into his dream. Maybe that was what people felt like when they shared dreams. She didn’t have a context. “Why would I have done that?”

“It might have been reflexive. Perhaps being around someone you could dream with caused you to do it instinctively. But how is a more interesting question. You must have had contact with someone like me in the past, and you must have dreamed with them.”

Alex knew exactly what Vardis was talking about. She had shared a dream with the Dark One within the meteor, and gotten lost in that brain essence of hatred. She could have carried something out with her. Lucky if it was the ability to dream with someone. “Myrddin said you weren’t from the same planet as the Dark One.”

Vardis nodded. His eyes looked murky as if they were losing themselves to thoughts that could not be held. “Not the same planet, but the same realm. But I can see that you know that already. Where I come from, nearly all sentient beings can share each other’s dreams.”

“Where are you from?”

Vardis looked somberly at Alex. “If I were to tell you, it would mean nothing. It is only able to be said in the common language of my people, and I am afraid that your consciousness would not understand. We speak in something like image forms when conversing about our heavenly bodies. It is the only way to properly describe them.”

“That sounds really cool. I’ve never heard of anything like that before. But is that what you called me here to talk about? Myrddin said you called for me by name.”

“That is true. I wished to know how you acquired the ability to dream. Based on what I’ve seen, my assumption was that the wizard was in charge here.” Vardis paused, looking Alex over. “Yet it was you, a child with whom I can dream. I find that interesting. How did it happen?”

Alex looked over at Myrddin. She knew he was listening and she wasn’t sure how much she should tell Vardis. No one knew what Vardis was doing here other than his vague promise to give them something that would stop the Dark One forever. He hadn’t said anything else about the subject. For all they knew, this could be an elaborate trap.

But how could telling Vardis about her meeting with the Dark One’s essence backfire? She hadn’t learned anything important, hadn’t walked away with pertinent information. All she had received from the Dark One were terrible nightmares.

Myrddin’s voice popped into Alex’s head. Tell him whatever you think he should know. It was so surprising that Alex nearly jerked off the bench. Don’t react too much, Myrddin said telepathically. But as of this moment, I don’t see the need to be secretive about your fight with the Dark One.

Alex thought back, When did you start being telepathic?

When it started being useful for you to know.

Alex turned her attention back to Vardis. “Uh, a while back, a meteor fell here. We thought your ship was the same kind of thing. The meteor wasn’t a rock, though, more like a giant hive filled with these weird monsters. And the Dark One. There was an essence of the Dark One, and I interacted with it. I went inside whatever that thing’s mind was. That’s how I acquired the ability to enter your dream.”

“That would explain it. A truly unique skill amongst your kind. I believe even among wizards, it is rare.”

Vardis leaned forward and stared at Myrddin. Alex wasn’t sure if this was a challenge or something but it made her feel extremely uncomfortable. There was a weird vibe going on between Myrddin and Vardis. Alex didn’t know how to answer Vardis. She had no idea what wizards were capable of.

“So, what are you doing here?” Alex asked.

“As I said,” Vardis began, “I am here to—”

There was a loud boom in the distance, and the room quaked. Cracks shot through the barrier like bolts of lightning. Alex and Vardis were thrown to the floor. On the other side of the room, Myrddin waved his hand, and the glass separating him and Roy from Alex and the alien disappeared.

A screeching alarm blared through the quarantine area as Myrddin and Roy helped Alex and Vardis to their feet. “What the hell was that?” Alex asked as another boom set the room shaking again.

Myrddin conjured a HUD into existence and pulled it up over his eyes. “An explosion,” he replied. “We’re under attack on the east side of the campus.”

Alex’s heart jumped up in her chest. During the last invasion of the Nest, they had lost so many cadets. The image of their bodies stacked in the main hall while orcs massacred the unarmed teenagers was burned vividly into Alex’s mind. It didn’t seem as if it were ever going away.

This can’t be happening again, Alex kept repeating to herself as her feet went cold. The chill ran up her legs and nestled in her stomach, where it grew and grew, pinpricks of ice all up and down her skin.

The last few months of victorious missions faded away as if they’d never happened. There was only the invasion. The constant invasion. It had never stopped. Alex knew that now.

The tightness in Alex’s chest was slight at first. There was no indication that it was growing until she found herself on her knees, gasping for breath. She couldn’t hear anything other than the explosions and the screams of children, the trampling of feet running for life.

She felt something on her back. It was an orc, had to be. She whirled around, striking it with her robotic arm as hard as she could.

Myrddin stood over her, a magical barrier floating in front of him. The barrier was more badly cracked than the glass in the room. “Alex, what’s happening?”

Alex opened her mouth to speak but only screams came out before she doubled over again, grabbing her head, trying to keep from slipping into the darkness that clawed at her from the inside.

Jollies was dead in her hands while orcs dragged Gill away. Brath was screaming and kicking as two orcs took hold of his arms and legs, ripping him apart. Jim was lying face-down in a pool of his own blood. They were all dead. All of them.

Alex leaped up and backed against the wall as tears rolled down her cheeks, and she kept shaking her head.

Myrddin stepped over to the rider. As he waved his hand over her head, mist came from his fingers, covering her.

The panic broke, and Alex hiccupped. She still didn’t feel as if she were in her body, but at least there was some relief from the fear that had raced through her like poison and shut down her ability to think. “Are you okay?” Myrddin asked.

Alex shook her head as the panic began to rev itself back up. “No, no! I can’t do this, I can’t do this again.”

Myrddin grabbed Roy and said, “Take Alex. I have to figure out what’s going on.”

Roy nodded gruffly as Myrddin vanished. He grabbed Alex gently by the arm and led her out of the room as quarantine scientists rushed in. The glass wall went back up, and Roy told the scientists to keep a watch on Vardis.

Alex wasn’t as panicked as she had been minutes ago, but she still wasn’t certain where she was. She knew Roy was taking her someplace, but she felt as if she were floating along in a dream. Hadn’t Vardis been talking to her about dreaming? Maybe that was all this was—a dream.

But dreams weren’t like this. Dreams didn’t make sense, and they weren’t nearly this horrifying. This was a nightmare. It had to be. There was no way this could be happening again.

The world froze. Alex could have counted the hairs on Roy’s neck, and reality became more focused and clearer.

At the end of the hall was a young boy. He was as white as fresh snow and wore the mask of a buck deer with spreading antlers. He turned to face Alex but said nothing.

Then the world reeled back into motion, and the boy was gone.

Roy led Alex into a room no larger than a broom closet and flipped on the lights. He sat Alex down and took a seat beside her. “Are you holding up okay?”

Alex shook her head as her body trembled. “I don’t know what’s happening. I-I can’t stop shaking. I can’t—”

Roy took Alex’s hand and held it tightly. “Breathe. You need to breathe,” he said. “Concentrate on your breathing. Nothing else matters. Just focus on breathing.”

Alex tried to follow his advice as best as she could. She thought of inhaling and then exhaling, over and over. Slowly, her heart slowed its incessant hammering.

Roy let go of Alex’s hand and leaned forward, his face covered by shadows as he spoke. “It gets easier. Doesn’t feel like it, but it does—the stress.”

“I can’t do this. There’s no way—”

Roy cut Alex off. “You can do this because you have to. If you don’t, no one else will. It’s that simple.”

Roy stood up and offered his hand to Alex. “We all have to. Together. Are you with us?”

Alex pushed down the vomit threatening to creep up her throat. Roy was right. This was why she was here. Someone had to defend the realms from the Dark One. She’d done it before. She could do it again.

Alex took Roy’s hand and stood. “Yeah. I’m a dragonrider. I’m with you.”

Chapter Five

The main hall of the Nest was filled with cadets and recruits. There were more than Alex remembered; Myrddin must have stepped up his recruitment game. There was nearly three times the number of certified dragonriders than there had been during the last invasion. The mech rider corps had grown as well.

Alex wasn’t staying in the main hall, though. She was only passing through with Roy. The two were heading to the war room for an officer briefing since she was no longer a cadet or a recruit. She led Team Boundless and would be needed for the planning stages of the assault.

As Alex walked past the recruits, she could see how young most of them were—only a little older than she was. There were still no other humans besides the mech riders, who were housed in a different facility. Alex wondered how they had arrived at the Nest so fast. Maybe Myrddin had known the attack was coming.

The two made their way to the war room, where Myrddin and the rest of the faculty were gathered. A round holoprojector in the middle of the room displayed a large scale map of the Nest and the surrounding area.

Toppinir was talking with Myrddin and politely nodded at Alex when she walked in. “Good to see you are out of quarantine. I was worried Myrddin was going to keep you there indefinitely.”

Alex chuckled nervously. She was still uncomfortable with the attitude change that happened with teachers when she was in a combat situation and not in class. It was as if they forgot she was a student or preferred to remember that when it came to a fight, she was their equal in many ways.

There were faces in the room Alex was unfamiliar with. Many of them were older students, cadets who had recently become certified dragonriders. The age gap was noticeable since the other captains looked like they were in their early twenties. She hadn’t seen any of them in classes before and wondered just how large the Nest was if it could house people she’d never seen.

Alex already knew that Boundless was the youngest certified team of dragonriders. She hadn’t realized how young she was compared to the rest. Most of the older cadets were only a year or two older than her. It was hard to tell with elves, though. She still didn’t have a good handle on what constituted adolescence for an elf.

The older captains were standing in a line near the projector. Alex looked around the room, hoping someone would tell her what to do or where to go until it became obvious that no one was going to hold her hand. She lined up with the rest of the captains and tried to look professional.

Myrddin finished talking to one of the teachers and turned to address the room. “The shocks we’re feeling are long-range attacks,” Myrddin explained. “We still have some time before the bulk of the Dark One’s forces arrive. At the moment, we’re waiting for an update from our recon dragons.”

The display on the projector changed, showing the terrain around the Nest more closely. “Based on the assaults so far, we’re assuming that they’re coming from the west and will be attacking that wing. It would be safe to assume they have some understanding of the setup of the Nest. We were unprepared during the last invasion, and I would not be surprised if they had done their homework.”

Toppinir cleared his throat before speaking. “Do we have any guesses as to why they’re attacking? It’s been months since the meteor, and we’ve had no reports of any attention from the Dark One. What changed?”

An image of Vardis appeared on the projector screen. “As some of you might know,” Myrddin explained, “two days ago, we retrieved a crashed ship from an unknown planet. The being inside, Vardis, stated that he was from the same dimension as the Dark One. I find the claim doubtful, but this sudden attack does lend credence to it. I have no doubt that the attack has to do with Vardis’s arrival.”

Alex was glad to hear that Myrddin didn’t trust Vardis. It wasn’t that the alien was lying, but how often did someone show up on your doorstep and offer to fix all your problems?

Roy, who was leaning against the wall chewing on his cigar, asked, “So, what’s the plan? Are we going out to meet the Dark One’s welcoming party, or are we waiting until they come here? I’d like to avoid what happened last time.”

Myrddin’s eyes softened as if he were experiencing the pain of the last invasion. “What happened before cannot and will not happen again,” he said slowly. “Our defenses have been upgraded. No one can teleport into the Nest. We can keep the battle outside and protect the cadets who aren’t combat-ready.”

Roy seemed satisfied with the answer. Alex noticed that the younger captains had yet to speak or ask any questions. They just stood and stared ahead, like the definition of good soldiers. Alex hoped she didn’t look like them.

Myrddin spoke again. “We will be splitting into different groups. Roy, naturally, you’re in charge of the mech riders. Toppinir, you and the rest of the faculty will lead seventy percent of the dragonrider captains. Alex, you will take Boundless and the remaining captains and their squads under your command.”

Alex couldn’t believe what Myrddin had said, and she furrowed her brow as she tried to understand his words. “Wait, what do you mean?”

Myrddin spoke sharply. “You will be leading your squad and at least twenty other riders. You’ve proven yourself in combat and leadership. Can you do this? I need to know now.”

Alex looked at Roy, who slowly nodded.

Leading twenty riders? That meant that she’d be giving orders to some of the captains at her side, older and probably more combat seasoned veterans. And I’m supposed to be responsible for them? Alex asked herself.

But Alex was answering Myrddin before she even realized it. “Yeah, yeah, I can do it.”

Myrddin smiled softly, a caring twinkle in his eye. “Good. I want you all in the air by the end of the hour. When intel on what we’re up against comes in, I’ll update all of your tactical planners. Dismissed.”

The tone in the room changed, and the other captains relaxed. Myrddin left quickly, no doubt to implement whatever plans he had to set in motion.

Roy walked up behind Alex and clapped her on the shoulder, causing her to jump. “Why didn’t you tell me he was going to do that?” Alex asked, hoping the sting could be heard in her voice.

“I didn’t know,” Roy answered curtly. “Myrddin plays a lot of stuff close to the chest. I’m proud of you for stepping up when you’re needed. My suggestion is, don’t get too chummy with anyone other than your team.”

“Why would you say that?”

Roy sighed heavily. “There’s no easy way to say this. People are going to die today, Alex. And you and I will be responsible for that.”

In the back of Alex’s mind, she had already known that. Hearing it from Roy didn’t make it any easier to deal with, though. She clearly remembered the last invasion. Luckily, she had been able to save lives that day. But she knew that wasn’t an option today. “Yeah, I kinda figured,” Alex whispered.

“You know, if this is too much for you, I can talk to Myrddin. You and Boundless can be another squad. I don’t want you cracking—”

“Under the pressure? You don’t think I can do this?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think you can do. It matters what you know you can do.”

Alex thought about it again, without letting herself be as reactionary as she had been with Myrddin, but it didn’t matter how many times she turned the question over in her head; there was no way to get around what was plainly in front of her. “I have to do this,” she said. “And I think Myrddin knows that.”

Roy squeezed Alex’s shoulder, trying to bestow some encouragement on her. “Yeah, he usually does. Well, you heard the man. We gotta go.”

* * *

Alex called each of her teammates and let them know what was going on. She didn’t spend a whole lot of time talking, but she wanted to hear their voices. It was for that reason Roy had told her not to get too close to any of her squad. Alex already knew she wouldn’t listen to that advice.

None of Boundless seemed even slightly worried that Alex was going to be leading such a large squad. They saw the choice as logical. Alex hadn’t realized it until she hung up on Jollies, but she had been looking for affirmation. Even if she had said twice that she knew she could handle this, it still felt like too large a thing to get her head around.

Alex headed for the stables where Chine and the rest of her team’s dragons were kept. She hadn’t had a chance to speak to Chine since she’d been quarantined. Chine’s telepathy was strong enough to reach through most of the Nest, but Alex hadn’t heard from him this time. Maybe the Nest had expanded far enough that he couldn’t reach her.

The stables were a vast room with steel walkways stretched over dragon dens, which were carved into the ground. The nests were different sizes so the dragons could rest comfortably. There was no ceiling, and the dragons were permitted to come and go as they pleased. A variety of tech sat on platforms on the walkways, most of it used to apply weapon augments to the dragons.

Chine poked his head up from his den when Alex walked into the stables. I was starting to think you had forgotten about me.

Alex leaped down into Chine’s den. The floor was covered in the stones and precious jewels Chine had collected, and it was warm from his body heat. Alex leaned against the wall, resting her head against the steel. They didn’t tell you I was quarantined?

They did, but I still worry. I’m glad you were finally released.

I’m assuming they told you about the invasion.

Chine nodded as he exhaled a small cloud of smoke. Yes, we’ve been told. It is good you made it down here before the rest of the riders. You seem to be troubled by something.

Alex moved away from the wall and lay down on the stones. An emerald caught her eye, and she was reminded of the green streak from the meteor. Yeah, but when am I not? She sighed. They made me a captain today, I guess. I’m in charge of a squad, not just Boundless this time.

Are you afraid you aren’t capable of leading them well?

Not quite. I know I can lead. That’s become pretty apparent. And I’m never worried about Boundless, you know. They can all take care of themselves. There’s a reason why we’ve been pushed so hard. We can handle it.

Chine’s face was usually unreadable since his reptilian features didn’t leave much room for expression. But sometimes, Chine’s eyes looked almost caring. Then what are you worried about?

Alex looked unhappy. People are going to die. There’s no getting around it. My command is going to kill someone. An order that I give will be the cause of someone’s death.

Dustling, you will not be the cause. The Dark One is the cause. You aren’t sending anyone to their death. The Dark One is the one robbing mortals of their lives, not you.

Alex knew he was right, but it didn’t make her feel any less terrible or responsible. Yeah, I guess you’re right. She stood up. Roy made it sound like it was something I have to deal with.

The dragon shook his head as he stretched his wings over Alex. If that is what Roy thinks, he is wrong. Your heart is large. You care for people even when you don’t realize you do. That is a strength, not a weakness.

Alex chuckled. You think so?

Now you’re fishing for compliments.

Alex threw her arms up and laughed as she walked away. All right, all right! Sometimes I want to be told how great I am. Sue me.

An explosion shook the Nest, and Alex’s smile fell from her face. “We better start getting ready,” she said aloud. “It’s time to sling the heavy stuff on.”

Chine groaned as he stretched his legs, standing to his full height as Alex leaped out of the den and went over to the augment platform. She scrolled through her options, trying to think of what would be useful for enemies she knew nothing about. Then she remembered what had happened when she had been separated from him during the fight to get to the ship. Hey, I wanted to ask you something.

The dragon poked his head out of the den. What would you like to know?

When our link was broken, something happened when I was fighting that giant. I got a sudden surge of power and burst into flames briefly. It was like when I activate my anchor power, but the anchor was dead. What do you think that was?”

Chine scratched his chin against the rim of the den. Hm. Your anchor power merely helps you process draconic fluid into your body and metabolize it. Perhaps, your body is getting better at doing the processing. You might not need the anchor eventually.

Alex glanced down at her dragon anchor, running her robotic hand across it. Huh. That’s kinda cool. All right, Chine, let’s get you suited up.

Chapter Six

Team Boundless assembled in the stables not long after Alex had finished fitting Chine with the augments she thought would be best. There was a very somber mood amongst them since the last invasion was still fresh in everyone’s mind. That was what Alex assumed, at least. She couldn’t have been the only one to have been deeply affected by that day.

Each member of the team went to their dragon’s platform and started to look through the options of augments to load up with. There weren’t any jokes, and everyone looked very serious. The only person from Boundless who wasn’t there was Jim. He must be with the other mech riders, Alex thought.

Alex commed Jim and asked him whether he was going to be rolling out with her or the mech riders. He let her know he was still riding with Boundless, but he had to take care of a couple of technical issues with his mech before launching. There was no way he was heading into a fight without knowing his mech was running at its best.

* * *

After Alex hung up on Jim, Gill walked up behind her. Alex had no idea how long he’d been standing there. It could have been for the whole conversation. “Jeez, you scared the crap out of me.”

Gill walked out of the shadows and around Alex so she could see him better. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I didn’t mean to alarm you. I wanted to ask you how you were holding up.”

Alex looked around to give herself time to think. She didn’t want to have a heart to heart at the moment, but she knew Gill wasn’t going to let it go. He never did once he got something set in his mind. “I’ve been better. Could be worse, but it could also be less terrible, you know.”

“The last time we fought off the Dark One’s army here, we were unprepared. This time it’s different, but it feels the same.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. Just like that day. My guts are all messed up. At least before, we had the benefit of being surprised. It was all adrenaline. I felt like I was operating on autopilot the entire time.”

“Not like today. We’ve been through worse than this, but it feels like it’s the first few weeks of classes. I’m glad we’ll be able to make up for the first attack today.”

Alex hadn’t thought of it like that. It was almost like they were being given a second chance, and this time, they were prepared for what was coming for them. All the lives that hung in the balance were going to be protected. That was what mattered.

Gill drifted away silently as he often did, leaving Alex alone with her thoughts. Instead of dwelling on them, Alex walked over to Brath and took a seat next to his platform.

Brath’s dragon Furi was the largest of all the dragons at the Nest. A hulking red beast, he was the only creature at the Nest with a quicker temper than Brath.

The gnome was sitting on Furi’s back, fiddling with the anchor component attached to the dragon’s spine. He looked up from his work as Alex approached. “What’s up?”

Alex checked Furi’s augments. “You find anything you want to use?”

Brath pointed to the dragon’s right shoulder, which had a large plasma cannon attached to it. “Saw this a couple of days ago,” Brath said. “Supposed to be twice as strong as the smaller cannons, and I think Furi is the only one big enough to use it. Can’t think of a better chance to test it.”

“Comfortable being part of a larger squad?”

Brath looked annoyed at the new line of questioning. Talking about weapons was more his style. Getting to the root of how he felt wasn’t something Alex thought she was going to be able to do with one conversation, but she wanted him to know that she cared enough to try.

“As long as they don’t get in my way, it’ll be all right,” the gnome said. “Don’t make me hold back because you don’t want me showing up the new guys.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Brath. Let me know if you need anything before we head out.”

“Gotcha, boss.”

It was still unbelievable to Alex that she and Brath were on speaking terms now. When she’d first arrived at the Nest, Brath had devoted the majority of his time to making sure Alex felt as alone and pathetic as possible. All that had changed the day of the invasion, when Brath had seen what Alex was really made of. In a lot of ways, that was when Alex had found that out too.

Alex made her way over to Jollies, who was attending to her dragon, Amber. Jollies was still in the process of choosing her augments. It always took her noticeably longer than the rest of the riders, but the pixie found the most specific and interesting augments. Her loadouts were generally the envy of every other rider. “Yo, Jollies!” Alex shouted.

She turned at the sound of her name. Her eyes were glistening with tears, and she hiccupped slightly as her lips trembled.

Alex rushed over to her, and the pixie floated into Alex’s hands. “Oh, my God, Jollies, are you okay?” Alex asked.

Jollies’ voice was small, hardly above a whisper. “I don’t know why I’m scared, Alex, but I am. I’m so scared.”

Alex didn’t know what to say. That was what she felt as well. She had no idea where the fear was coming from, why it cropped up so fast, or where it had been hiding during the last few months, incubating and growing stronger. It was here now, and if it was here for her, it must have been there for the rest of the team too.

Alex held her hand up to her face so she could look her friend in the eye. “Hey, it’s going to be okay,” she said. “We’re not scared kids anymore. You got that? We’re dragonriders now.

Jollies nodded as she wiped away her tears. “Yeah, I know,” she said. “Still feels like I’m a scared kid, though.”

“Same here.”

Jollies laughed as she floated back over to Amber. “Don’t worry. I’ll pull it together.”

Alex walked to Chine’s platform and hopped up. She watched Chine curling and uncurling his tail. Even the dragon was nervous about the upcoming battle.

A beep went off on Alex’s dragon anchor. It was an incoming call from Abby. Alex opened the message and the anchor projected a holograph of Abby in front of her. “Whoa, that’s new,” Alex yelped.

Abby smiled widely as she fist-pumped. “Sweet, it worked,” she exclaimed. “Been trying to get the new software upgrades to you guys for a bit. Anyway, I took a look at that rod for y’all. Got bad news for ya.”

Alex groaned as she braced herself for whatever Abby was going to say. “This isn’t one of those good news/bad news situations, is it?”

“Nah. All bad news. That thing is dangerous. Severs the connection between your dragon and anchor and blocks all telepathic communication. And here’s the doozy: it stays active until someone kills the person who used it.”

“That’s great. I was starting to get my hopes up about this mission.”

Abby’s next smile was not nearly as enthusiastic. “Yeah, don’t shoot the messenger, okay? But don’t worry, I ain’t gonna leave y’all hanging. I’m working on something. Kinda like a firewall.”

“Are you going to have it finished in the next ten minutes?”

“Uh, no. In a rush or something?”

Alex nervously chuckled. “Kinda in the middle of an invasion.”

“Oh, well, hope you don’t have a lot of these. Good luck! I should let y’all get to it.”

Alex couldn’t help laughing at how matter of fact Abby was about all of this. Even though she was the same age as Alex and the rest of the riders, Abby seemed to be acclimating to working with Myrddin and Middang3ard. “Yeah, yeah,” Alex said. “Hey, if I survive, we should, like, hang out.”

“Ugh. Agreed. You have no idea how weird it is working with people in their three thousandth year of life. Y’all go wreck them.”

Alex hung up the comm and jumped on top of Chine. She pulled up the tactical display and checked to see if there were any more updates to the current situation.

The intel had come in, and the display showed the terrain around the Nest. The area was filled with red dots denoting enemies. There was also a message attached to the display. Alex clicked on it.

Alex’s ears were overwhelmed by frantic screaming, someone begging for their life, repeating over and over that they didn’t want to die. Alex turned off the message as fast as she could. She climbed off and sat down next to Chine and tried to control her breathing.

Alex’s comm rang, and she looked down to see a message from Myrddin. It was time to go.

* * *

The dragonriders gathered in the main hall, where the massacre had taken place a few months ago. Alex thought it must be Myrddin’s intention to face what everyone was thinking rather than running away from it.

Alex appreciated the notion. She knew it was still on her team’s mind, and there was no way the rest of the riders had forgotten about the atrocities that had taken place here.

The captains stood on the main stage behind Myrddin, who was behind the podium facing the cadets. The dragonriders were lined up in rows facing the stage, their red and black uniforms shining brightly.

The mech riders, a smaller corps, stood to the left of the dragonriders. They wore blue uniforms with an insignia and a phrase written in Elvish that Alex had meant to ask Gill about.

The dragon and mech riders stood silently watching the stage as another explosion rocked the Nest. You wouldn’t have been able to tell by looking at Myrddin. His face didn’t show any sign of interest in the dangers that lay beyond the Nest.

Myrddin stepped closer to the podium and cupped his hands together, resting them on his stomach. “Today, the Dark One has dared to come to our doors once more,” Myrddin said. “Today, we gather in this hall where so many passed, and we remember them. The dead did not sacrifice their lives for us. We must be honest with ourselves. Their lives were stolen.”

Alex looked at the teachers and the other captains out of the corner of her eye as Myrddin continued speaking. “But today is a new day, and we are wiser and stronger than before. Today is the day that we avenge our fallen brothers and sisters. Today is the day the Dark One will be reminded that the Wasp’s Nest is a place of warriors. Fight well.”

Myrddin stepped away from the podium as Roy took his place. “You have your assignments already, so you know who you’re teaming up with. The game plan is simple—we’re going to meet them head-on and fight them off. That being said, keep your ears out for comms and individual orders and formations from your captains. There’s no way to get around this; some of us aren’t coming back. You sure as hell better make sure you give as good as we get. Dismissed.”

Alex followed the rest of the captains as they left the podium. This was it.

* * *

The sky filled with dragons and mechs as the riders departed the Nest, rising into the clouds. There were hundreds of them, different breeds and colors. Alex could never have imagined anything like it. There was no way the Dark One was going to win this battle.

Roy, Toppinir, Alex, and the rest of the captains were at the front of the horde of dragons, their respective squads behind them. Alex checked her dragon anchor as she leaned forward and scratched Chine behind his horns.

A comm came through from Roy. “Dragonriders, we got a nice bit of intel. The Dark One’s got some new doohickey that’ll kill your connection to your dragons. There’s nothing we can do about that since we haven’t had enough time to figure out how to stop that, but there’s a system in place, thanks to some friends over at Earth’s HQ. If you get disconnected, your anchor will send out a signal to the closest mech to come scoop you out of the sky. Think about it as getting a free sky-diving lesson.”

There were chuckles across the open comm channel. Alex was glad Roy knew how to defuse a stressful situation. She felt like there were worse things than plummeting to the ground after being knocked off Chine.

There was no fanfare at the beginning of the attack. Roy simply rocketed forward, Toppinir following him, and Alex took that as a sign to get moving. The dragon army headed to the coordinates that had been provided.

There were a few miles out from the Nest when Roy stopped.

They had arrived at the coordinates, but there was nothing there. That couldn’t be right, Alex thought as she checked her tactical display. The coordinates were correct. The Dark One’s army was supposed to be right in front of them.

Roy opened his cockpit and lit his cigar. “Hm,” he murmured. “This is a little anticlimactic.”

Alex focused on the ground below them. They weren’t too high up, and her dragon eyes could pick up the smallest detail. What caught her eye was an odd shimmer, something like a ripple across still water. “There’s something down there,” she announced.

Suddenly, there was a loud whirring sound like that of a power generator turning on. It grew louder and louder until a blast of plasma nearly the size of a red dragon came shooting up from the ground. “Incoming!” Alex shouted.

The riders scattered, Alex veering hard to the left to avoid the attack. The plasma blast soared through the air, suddenly exploding and sending smaller bolts at the riders, who dove toward the source of the attack.

Alex’s eyes focused again on the shimmer beneath her, and she saw something moving. “Roy, I’m going down there,” she shouted.

Roy hooted loudly as he got back into his mech. He plummeted toward the shimmer with a mad cackle as he threw his thrusters into afterburn. Alex and the rest of the riders were right behind him.

Chapter Seven

Alex, Roy, and the rest of the dragonriders passed through the shimmering veil. Once through, Alex pulled up on her dragon anchor, causing Chine to stop and fly backward a little bit. She was not the only one to do that.

The Dark One’s forces were coming over the hill. The army was led by what appeared to be slugs nearly the size of houses. Their bodies were pale blue, and they had eyes all over. Electrodes and electronic components covered their soft flesh. An orc sat atop each, its body from the waist down melded into the slugs through some obscene mixture of technology and flesh.

Plasma cannons half as large as the slug’s bodies were strapped to each creature’s back. That must have been where the whirring had come from.

Behind the slugs were creatures that Alex could never have imagined. They were taller than the slugs, with long spindly legs, stretched and spider-like. Their heads looked like ancient, rotting human heads with long stringy hair hanging from their gaunt faces. Their skin was covered in steel plates, and they lumbered along like ghosts caught in a dream.

Roy’s voice came through the comm. “What the hell are those? You ever see anything like that before?”

Toppinir replied, “No.”

“This is an attack by the Dark One, right? ‘Cause this does not fit his M.O.”

Alex pointed to the orc/slug fusion creatures and narrowed her eyes to get a better look at the tech that connected the orcs to the slugs. She could see there were multiple orcs embedded in the skin of the slugs, some of them barely visible, others merely a hand forcing its way through the slug’s skin.

“That’s the Dark One’s tech. I’ve seen it in some of the briefings. Stuff like that’s been cropping up throughout Middang3ard.”

“You’re right,” Roy agreed. “Well, we got our work cut out for us. Let’s get started. Charge!”

Roy blasted forward, and Alex took off after him. “Boundless,” Alex called, “I want you as close to me as possible. Jollies, take point. Get as close to those things as you can, but don’t engage. I want to get an idea of what we’re up against.”

Jollies and Amber zoomed to the front of the charging army, easily flying faster than the other riders and the mechs. “On it,” the pixie called.

“Brath, I want you in the front with me. Gill, get behind us, and Jim, link up with the rest of the mech riders. Squad A, we’re going in slow. We don’t know what these things have ready for us, other than those anchor detachers, so be ready.”

The whirring of the slug’s plasma cannons began anew. The sound was louder and more oppressive up close. They were gearing up to launch an attack.

Alex looked around to see what else was down there. So far, she didn’t see any aerial fighters. Maybe the Dark One’s plan was to ground all the riders, turn this into a ground fight, and see what happened. Alex didn’t know why, though. The last ground fight, the dragonriders had won.

Jollies’ shrill voice squeaked over the comm, “You’re not going to believe this until you see it. Heading back to the main group.”

As if the Dark One’s forces had heard her, a change came over the slugs. They stopped their forward movement and began to shake and convulse. The orc bodies inside the sagging flesh of the slugs forced their way through the skin.

As the orcs climbed out of the slugs, spewing bright blue fluid everywhere, they screeched loudly, techno-organic wings sprouting from their backs. The wings were razor-sharp, and the orcs had cannons mounted on their backs.

The orcs stood, steam rising from their bodies, then spread their wings and took off, heading straight for the dragonriders.

The slugs fired their cannons, sending the plasma blasts into the thick of the riders, who took evasive action, then spread out, preparing for the inevitable explosion of the plasma blast.

The orcs didn’t seem to care about the plasma bolts and kept flying toward the riders, slashing at them with their metallic wings.

Alex pulled up, drawing her scythe from her dragon anchor and watching closely to see if any of the orcs near her were holding black rods. She couldn’t see any, but they were moving fast.

An orc flew past Alex, slashing at her with its wings. Alex ducked in time, avoiding having the razor edges slice through her neck. She raised her scythe and caught the orc in the chest, which nearly yanked her off her dragon. Luckily, she was still anchored.

The sky had turned into a scene of chaos. There were hundreds of the flying orcs aggressively attacking the dragonriders as if they had no fear for their lives. Alex could see a dull green light glowing in their eyes as if their brains had been hollowed out and replaced with something else.

Below, the lanky spider creatures with the faces of men opened their mouths. Black drool and gunk fell out as they regurgitated giant chunks of black rock, stretching it out in the shape of a rod. “Those are it!” Alex shouted. “The spiders have the rods!”

Roy flew to the front lines as he shouted, “Mech riders to the front! We need to take down those spiders!”

The mechs detached from the main group of riders and headed for the spider monsters, weaving between the orcs. The winged creatures tried to attach themselves to the mechs and rip them open with their wings and plasma axes.

The sheer number of orcs looked overwhelming. Alex wasn’t certain if the mech riders were going to be able to make it to the spiders without being ripped out of their mechs. They would need backup. “Boundless, we’re backing up the mechs. Squad A, try to keep the orcs off of us, but don’t get too close to the spiders. Stay as far back as you can. We don’t know the range of those rods.”

Gill, Brath, and Jollies flew closer to Alex, and they pushed forward, Chine and Furi lit the sky with their fire as Alex hacked at any orc foolish enough to get close to her.

Roy dropped on the closest spider creature, floating in front of its grotesque face. He opened fire with everything that he had, unloading his machine gun and missiles onto the black rod.

The spider creature screeched in pain as it reared up on its hind legs. A shock wave erupted from the black rod.

Alex could see the energy signature of the shockwave. She pulled up on the anchor, avoiding the wave. “Chine, you can see that, right?”

The dragon banked to the right to avoid an orc, blasting it with a flame attack. “Yes, but I’m not sure the rest of the dragons can see the same frequencies we can.”

“Link up with them telepathically. Watch the shockwaves and let them know when they’re coming. I’ll take care of any orcs that get too close. We’re gonna keep moving forward.”

“Understood.”

Alex drove Chine toward the closest spider creature. Jim had joined Roy, and they were working on destroying the black rods. They had the firepower, but it was slow work, almost like mining an ore deposit. Alex wondered how her weapons were going to fare against the rods.

Brath flew to Alex’s side, and the two of them headed for the same creature as orcs flew past them, Alex cutting down anything that got too close to her. They made it to the spider and flew past it, firing their flame attacks at the rod.

The heat from the flames cracked the rod. It didn’t fall or shatter, but it was damaged. Then it began to hum and vibrate loudly. “Pull back!” Alex shouted as she yanked up on her dragon anchor.

Chine and Furi soared upward, away from the erupting shockwave. Alex watched it spread toward the dragonriders dealing with the bulk of the winged orcs. The rods had an extremely long range, apparently, and the shockwave was going to hit them. “Roy, the wave is coming for our riders!” Alex shouted over the comm.

Roy and Jim disengaged from the creature they were fighting and headed back toward the others as Jim shouted, “We’re on it!”

Alex and Brath flew back down toward the rod, firing everything they had at the head of the spider creature. It reeled back in pain, a muffled scream ushering from its mouth.

Chine fired another flame attack at the rod as Brath guided Furi around, flying a good distance away and then charging full force at the black rod, tackling it with all the force the red dragon could muster.

The rod split down the middle, separating from the spider creature’s mouth. It fell and crushed one of the slugs making its way toward the Nest.

Alex flew in closer to the slug’s head and slammed her scythe down in between its eyes. The creature screeched in pain and threw back its head, toppling into the spider creature at its side. Both of them crashing to the ground in a heap of thin, kicking legs.

Alex shouted, “Squad A, how are you holding up?”

One of the squad members replied, “We’re holding our own. The orcs are vicious, but they seem to mostly be a distraction. The slugs on the ground have all the firepower, but we can’t get to them with the rods still active.”

“I want you to divert your attention to the slugs. Ignore the orcs as best as you can. We need to take care of their artillery.”

“Roger!”

Alex banked left, flying back toward the remaining spider creatures. “Boundless, the priority is the rods. Anything you can do to bring them down, do it!”

Out of the corner of Alex’s eye, she could see Jollies charging forward, electricity sparking off Amber as they headed for the nearest spider. Gill was right behind her, Timber firing plasma missiles from his shoulders.

The plasma cannons connected with the rod hanging from the creature’s mouth and Jollies flew around it. Lightning jumped from Amber’s scales, sending a chain-lightning attack up the creature’s body.

Alex and Chine headed for the same spider creature, the dragon shooting ether flames at the rod and Alex swinging her scythe with all the force of her robotic arm as they flew by.

The black rod cracked and Brath repeated his earlier strategy and slammed into it, cracking it even farther down the middle.

The spider creature shrieked in pain as it stumbled back, but before the crystal broke away, a shockwave erupted from it.

Alex was able to dodge the shockwave, as was Brath. The wave hit Jollies and Gill.

Jollies detached from Amber, but the two were so small that Jollies managed to grab her dragon before they got too far apart, holding tightly to his horns to keep from falling off.

Gill, on the other hand, was not so lucky. The wave hit him and Timber hard, sending the drow flying through the air as a swarm of orcs headed for him.

Alex sent Chine rocketing toward him. They cut through the orcs who were fighting to get to Gill. Alex reached out, trying to grasp Gill’s hand.

An orc sideswiped Alex from the left, hitting her with its wings, and cutting her across the chest with enough force to detach her from Chine. She went flying through the air, reaching for the dragon’s wings but narrowly missing them. She plummeted toward the earth.

Both Alex and Gill were in freefall. Gill pulled his plasma pistol from his holster, firing at every orc that flew at him with the coolness of someone walking down the street to their favorite store.

Alex still gripped her scythe in one hand, the other putting pressure on the wound across her chest. She was losing blood, and she wasn’t sure how fast. The pain was hardly noticeable since her body was flooded with adrenaline. All she could think about was keeping the orcs flying at her from getting too close.

Jim and Roy turned away from the orcs in front of them and flew after the falling riders. Alex saw them approaching, but her vision was beginning to blur. A group of orcs headed for her, and it looked as if they would get there before either Roy or Jim.

Alex grabbed Gill’s arm and pulled him closer to her. As they hurtled toward the ground, Gill continued to unload shot after shot at anything getting close to them. He picked off the orcs that Alex had been worried would arrive before the mech riders did.

Roy swooped under Gill, opening his cockpit and allowing Gill to fall gently into it. Jim executed the same maneuver beneath Alex.

He reached out to her, trying to grab her hand and pull her into the cockpit.

As Alex’s fingers wrapped around Jim’s hand, an orc hit her from the left and she was knocked away from Jim. Its wings slashed her arm, and she lost her grip on her scythe.

Jim hit his thrusters and attempted to get closer to Alex, but a group of orcs flocked to him, covering his mech.

Alex hit her comm and shouted, “Squad A! Report!”

A couple of voices came through at the same time, but Alex heard one louder than the other. “We’ve taken out all of the spiders, and the orcs are retreating! The slugs have stopped moving forward.”

“Retreat! Head back to the Nest to regroup and finish them off.”

“Roger!”

The ground was coming for Alex. She was going to hit hard, and that would be the end. There was something oddly comforting about knowing death would be swift.

An orc flew toward Alex with its wings outstretched, hoping to slash her. Alex saw her opening, and as the orc got closer, she grabbed its throat and swung around behind it. She locked her robotic arm around the orc’s neck and steered it to the ground.

Alex hit the earth with immense speed, the orc taking the bulk of the impact. When she stumbled to her feet, she noticed the ground was soft and squishy. “What the hell?” she muttered to herself.

Suddenly, the ground grew unstable, and Alex fell forward. She wasn’t on the ground, she was on the back of one of the slugs. “Chine!” she called. “I’m down here!”

Alex didn’t know if the dragon could hear her. There was no reply as she looked at the slug’s foul body, more orc hands and heads trying to force themselves out of the putrid flesh.

The presence of Alex had awakened something within the orcs. Those who had been docile under the skin were now moaning loudly and trying to pull themselves out.

Alex backed away, not knowing where to go. She tried to pull her scythe from her dragon anchor, but nothing happened. A shockwave from one of the black rods must have hit her. She was defenseless.

The orcs continued to claw their way out of the slug. This is it, Alex thought. I did my best, and that was all I could do.

Rage was the only word for what Alex felt. To know her life was about to end in such a fashion pulled at something deep within her that she did not know existed. Her veins began to burn, as well as her eyes.

The air around Alex grew hot and flames erupted, covering her body as energy radiated from it.

The pillar of flames she generated stretched skyward, engulfing everything above and around her. The fire seared through the flesh of the slugs and the orcs who clawed their way toward her, reducing them all to ash.

Alex fell through the miasma of charred bodies. As her eyes began to flutter closed, her body became weightless. What’s happening? she wondered hazily.

Her dragon’s voice in her head comforted her. I am here for you, Dustling, he said before everything went black.

Chapter Eight

Alex stood in a room which was all white. There was no furniture. The walls did not seem to be walls. She was ankle-deep in water, and she had both her arms. Someone was singing, but she did not recognize the song or the voice.

Vardis crouched across from her, staring into the water. He looked over his shoulder. “Oh,” he said, “you’re finally here.”

When Alex spoke, it was not with her mouth, and it was not telepathy as she experienced it with Chine. This was something else. It was a flurry of emotions and concepts that crystalized in what could pass for language in such a place. She had felt this aboard the meteor.

Where is here?

Vardis stood, flicked water off of his fingers, and walked over to Alex. This is your mind, he explained. Or something like it. You’re sleeping now, much like when we first spoke. The only difference is that this is not a natural sleep. I’m assuming you passed out during the battle.

Alex looked down at her hands. They were quivering, bending in and out of the light as if they weren’t real. How are you able to do this?

We are linked. When I first saw you, I connected with you telepathically as a failsafe in case something happened to me. I wasn’t certain I could trust any of you yet. Not the most prudent of means to ensure my safety, but it was the best I could do.

Alex crouched next to the water. There were minnows swimming under the surface. Why didn’t you think you could trust us? she asked. Wasn’t that the reason you came here to meet with us?

Vardis knelt beside Alex. I traveled here to deliver a weapon to destroy the Dark One. I wasn’t sure who or what I was going to find. For all I knew, you people could have been pawns of the Dark One. There are enough in this realm to have made that a possibility.

You came from the place the Dark One is from, didn’t you?

For the first time, Alex saw something like emotion in the alien’s eyes. Its eyes conveyed a deep sense of loss, perhaps more than Alex believed anyone was capable of feeling. I came from a place the Dark One intimately touched. I do not know where he came from, only where he has been.

The white room contorted, its edges blurring and stretching as the light disappeared and was replaced by the darkness of space, stars birthing themselves as the universe stretched out around them. This was my home, Vardis said.

The view zoomed in on one planet that did not look much different than Earth. They continued to get closer, passing through the atmosphere and the clouds until they were on the land, watching other members of Vardis’s race going about their lives in a city that nearly reached the stars.

The Dark One came to our planet in silence. Much like what has happened here, he infected our people through means we did not understand. Now we know it to be some kind of mind-controlling technology, but we did not then. Agents of the Dark One walked amongst us, and we were ignorant of it. Slowly, a war brewed.

The cities crumbled to dust and were carried away by the wind. Members of Vardis’ race fought each other. Bodies littered the ground, the dead stacked in piles. A pale white child wearing a buck’s head mask walked amongst the corpses.

Vardis spoke again. We were unprepared for the war. It did not take long before our planet was ravaged, our people destroyed or scattered. There were resistances, but how were we to fight against ourselves? Our world was soon destroyed. Those he was not able to enslave were killed.

Now there were images of mines, of an alien race burrowing into the ground. There was something deep and strange down there. Alex didn’t know how she knew, but she was certain that whatever was there should not be disturbed.

When Vardis spoke, the mines disappeared, replaced by what looked like an oversized child, something swollen with loose skin, crying and screaming. The Dark One began to dig deep into our planet. No one knew why. The Resistance couldn’t figure it out. He seemed unconcerned with minerals or ore, but he continued to dig.

The two were standing above the planet, which was graying. Alex could see the vegetation dying and fading. The seas were drying up. I do not know how, but the Dark One began to devour our world. He sucked it dry of all life. After a while, it started to affect more than our home.

Vardis and others like him were walking in long lines in an endless desert. Their bodies were gaunt, their bones prominent. Many had fallen to the wayside on the endless march, their skin turning to ash and floating off into the bloodred sky. We were dying, and the planet was drained.

The planet grew red amongst the stars. Fires erupted across it as the seas boiled and evaporated. The core sizzled and bloomed as the earth cracked and flames erupted from its bowels. Then the planet exploded, sending its remains into space.

The room was white again, and only Alex and Vardis remained. What are you doing here?

As I said before, I discovered a weapon to destroy the Dark One. I wish to give it to you in the hope that this war can finally be brought to an end.

Great! Where is it? If you have something to stop the Dark One, let’s do it.

Vardis shook his head slowly, his eyes filled with sadness. It is not here. I had to hide it from the Dark One. It is on a moon in the realm you are from—Earth’s moon. And you are the only one who can get it.

Alex scowled and folded her arms. Are you serious? Why can’t Myrddin? I’m just a kid. A soldier. There are—

Because I trust you. That is why.

Chapter Nine

Alex snapped awake, jerking backward, scrambling and trying to get away from whatever was around her. Hands grabbed her and she reached for her scythe, uncertain of where the enemy was until she heard a familiar voice squeak, “Alex, it’s okay!”

The adrenaline began to drain from Alex’s body when she recognized Jollies’ voice. Her vision started to return.

Team Boundless and Roy surrounded Alex. She looked around, trying to figure out where she was. It was somewhere near the Nest, but they weren’t inside. “Where are we?” she asked.

Roy and Jim helped her to her feet. They were in the outer section of the Nest in an alcove that overlooked the valley. The rest of the captains and the mech and dragonriders were spread out around the alcove. The riders’ dragons floated above.

Alex walked over to the edge and looked over. “What are we doing up here?”

Roy stood beside Alex and lit his cigar. “Someone was smart enough to give their squad the call to retreat,” he said. “It was a good one. Looked like we were winning the damn thing. Turned out, that’s not exactly what was happening.”

Roy pointed into the distance. The techno-organic slugs were still making their way toward the Nest, a black swarm of orcs above them.

Alex sighed and leaned her head back in frustration. “Are you kidding me? I thought we killed most of those damn things.”

“Language, Alex.”

“I can fight for Middang3ard, but I can’t use a PG curse word? So, who’s going to fill me in on what the hell is happening?”

Roy knocked his cigar’s ashes over the edge of the alcove. “Like I said, we retreated. Myrddin thought it was a good idea. Said he was going to come out here and meet us. Doesn’t seem like Myrddin’s style to sit back and wait for his favorite facility to be overrun.”

Alex looked around, trying to find Myrddin. “Where is he?”

The double doors of the Nest opened, and Myrddin walked into the alcove. He didn’t bother to stop and address anyone as he breezed past and peered at the valley.

He held a thin white wand in his hand and raised it above his head. Energy crackled around him as he floated into the air, his eyes turning bright white, lightning flashing from them and surrounding the rest of his body.

The old wizard began speaking softly under his breath and drawing sigils in the air, his wand moving elegantly as he traced the elaborate shapes. His voice grew louder and louder until it sounded as if it were a force of nature.

Dark clouds spread through the sky. A storm was coming, and it was obvious Myrddin was the one who was weaving it. Thunder crackled in the distance.

Roy leaned against his mech as the rest of the riders and captains moved in to get a better view of what was happening. “Oh.” He chuckled. “You guys have never seen Myrddin in action before. This will be a treat.”

Myrddin pointed his wand in the direction of the Dark One’s forces. His voice echoed throughout the valley as he spoke a dead language, one lost long before humanity arose.

The sky ripped open and bolts of lightning the size of city blocks tore through the air, striking the slugs as they traveled through the valley. When the bolts struck the ground, flames erupted.

As the flames licked at the slugs, winds swirled around, pulling the flames and the slugs into a vortex of lightning and fire. The flaming tornados danced, leaving destruction in their wake.

Above, the old wizard vibrated with energy. A pulse of fire rushed from his body, sending all the riders flying backward as Myrddin gave a cry that sounded as if it had been ripped from a god.

In the distance, the flaming tornados converged, transforming into a larger tornado that stretched to the sky. Another massive bolt of lightning struck the eye of the tornado and a flash of light spread through the valley, bright enough that it could have been the sun. It momentarily blinded everyone.

When Alex could see again, the valley was empty. There was no grass, no trees—nothing.

Myrddin floated back down to the ground and waved his wand one more time. A shimmering bubble spread over the Nest, stretching out as far as the path of destruction.

The wizard walked over to Alex, his movements labored and looking painful. He was breathing very deeply, and his eyes looked extremely tired. “Alex, we need to speak. There are more reinforcements coming since this will only hold for so long. I need to know what Vardis told you.”

Alex was surprised Myrddin knew she’d had a dream about Vardis. “How did you know about that?”

“That is not what’s important. What you were told is.”

Chapter Ten

Myrddin and Alex met in the wizard’s study. No one else was allowed in. When he stepped into the room, he went straight to a chair and collapsed in it. He looked tired but not defeated, and his eyes were still bright with life. “When you were unconscious,” he started. “Vardis spoke to you, didn’t he?”

Alex took a seat next to Myrddin as she tried to recollect what Vardis had told her. “He said we were telepathically linked.”

“Yes, I know you two are linked. That is one of the troubling aspects of all this. Did he say why he linked to you?”

“Because he trusted me.”

Myrddin leaned forward as he stared at Alex. His eyes were impossible to read. Alex knew he was thinking, but she couldn’t tell what. “That is disconcerting,” he muttered.

Alex felt her pride flash as her cheeks burned red. “Why is that disconcerting?”

Myrddin’s face softened as he reached over to his coffee table and picked up a glass of water that appeared on it. “Please do not take offense, Alex, but you are a child. If there was a matter of this importance, Vardis should have spoken with me. That is what is disconcerting.”

Only a child? Fighting in a war, leading an entire squad, risking my life? And I’m just a child?

Silence hung in the air between Alex and Myrddin as they watched each other. Alex couldn’t believe that was how Myrddin thought of her. After all of the work she’d done for him, after everything she’d sacrificed and experienced, Myrddin didn’t think she was anything other than a kid.

Myrddin didn’t seem to care about how Alex was reacting to his opinion. “What did he tell you?”

Alex thought Myrddin could ask Vardis himself if he was so certain of how important he was, but she also knew this wasn’t the time or place for such pettiness. However hurt her feelings were, it wasn’t going to help the situation. She had intel, and the war effort needed it. “He said he hid the weapon on Earth’s moon.”

Myrddin clicked his tongue, folded his hands, and sat quietly for a bit. “Interesting.” Then he rose and walked to his desk. “Alex, your leadership skills saved many lives today. You were the only one wise enough to do what they all knew they should have done. I commend you.”

Myrddin rested his hand on his desk, leaning over it. He looked immensely old. “That is why I tell you this in complete honesty. I do not know what to think of Vardis. I can’t figure him out, and that is dangerous. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Alex didn’t. She’d never seen Myrddin speak so candidly, and it was upsetting. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t follow.”

“Ignorance is dangerous. It ends in wars, and in this situation, we are ignorant.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

Myrddin turned to face Alex, his face tired and worn. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I just don’t know.”

* * *

Team Boundless had gathered in the stables to prepare for their next mission. Myrddin and Alex had sent out a briefing to let them know they were going to be traveling to Earth. There was a weapon on Earth’s moon that had to be retrieved.

The members of Boundless were beyond excited to visit Alex’s realm. They were joking and talking about it loudly as they prepared their dragons for the trip.

Alex watched them from afar. She was excited to go home, but her conversation with Myrddin had left her anxious. The wizard was running all this. To see him at a loss for what to do or think worried her. On top of that, they still weren’t certain when the Dark One’s reinforcements would arrive. Myrddin might be sending Boundless to Earth in the middle of a siege.

In any other situation, Alex would have been ecstatic to go back to Earth, even if it was for a mission. Something felt off about this, though. She didn’t know why she shouldn’t trust Vardis, other than Myrddin’s mistrust.

Jim noticed Alex standing on the upper level, looking down at the rest of the team. “Hey, you going to join us anytime soon?” he called, “We’re going home, dude!”

Alex jumped down and walked over to him. “Yeah, I know,” she said, “I’m super excited.”

Jollies fluttered over to Alex, gushing, “I can’t wait to see what your realm is like! I’ve never seen a lot of humans up close.”

Brath groaned as he dragged the augments he had removed off Furi. “Why would you want to see a bunch of humans? Just imagine Alex and Jim and think about more of them. Though I doubt they’ll be as—you know, what, never mind.”

Gill grabbed Brath’s beard as the gnome walked by. “Were you about to compliment Jim and Alex?” he asked.

Brath slapped Gill’s hand away. “Not even. I was going to say the humans will probably be more annoying than Alex and Jim. Damn. And I’ve told you before, don’t grab my beard. It takes a lot of time to get it looking this good.”

Gill and Jim cracked up as they watched Brath hobble off, huffing and puffing and muttering under his breath. When Jim saw that Alex wasn’t laughing, he came up to her and took her hand. “You okay?”

Alex squeezed Jim’s hand, but she was aware she was doing it more for Jim than herself. “Yeah, everything’s cool. Can’t wait to take you guys to my favorite pizza spot.”

Before Alex could say anything else, the comm interrupted her. “Team Boundless, please report to the hadron collider immediately for teleportation.”

Alex took a deep breath as she tried to smile at the rest of the team. This was it; they were heading back to Earth. This wasn’t how she was expecting her return to Earth to be, but she was with Boundless. It couldn’t possibly be too bad.

Author Notes Ramy Vance

April 17, 2020

I couldn’t make this up. I wish I could. I’d be a million, billion, trillionaire if could, but my mind simply couldn’t conceive of such scenarios. And as such, I have been outdone by the greatest storyteller of all: Life.

At the peak of the Coronavirus crisis, my family got … lice.

“How?” you might ask. “Weren’t you self-isolating?” you might ask. “Was someone cheating?” you might ask. Well, I can assure you that no one in the Vance household was sneaking away to have nefarious playdates, revelry and/or non-social distancing activities. We were diligent in our efforts to ‘not see anyone.’

“But how did you get lice?”

The answer, I’m sad to say to say, was that my son must have picked it up on one of his last days of nursery – two weeks ago before we discovered it!

But we didn’t detect it due to a hodgepodge of circumstances that were so coincidental I sometimes feel like a bit player in some farcical production.

Grandpa didn’t get it. His lack of hair made his scalp a veritable nuclear wasteland for our dear lice friends.

I didn’t get it. It seems that my hair is so thick that lice find my scalp the equivalent of a dense, deadly jungle ala ‘Heart of Darkness’ style.

As for the other three – they all got it. But my son seems impervious to discomfort. I once caught him running into a wall over and over again because – and I quote – “I see funny little lights when I hit my head hard enough.”

As for grandma … her excuse was that her scalp always itched. “I’m old. Things are constantly breaking down, aching, itching, creaking. If I complained about it all, I’d never do anything else.”

And as for my wife … she just had surgery and was put on blood pressure medication that has numerous side effect. Number 2 most common side effect: An itchy scalp (I’m not kidding).

Ultimately it was CoVid-19 that was the reason it took us 2 weeks to detect it. Four adults and two kids cooped up in a single household was a pressure cooker of discontent even when we can go outside at will. But with the quarantine in effect, you can imagine we all wanted to be on our best behaviour.

No one complained … much. We knew these were extreme circumstances and we tended to keep our bitching to things we could change. As a result … the three infected just kept it to themselves until one day the itching grew to an unbearable frenzy.

Shaving our heads was a blast. It’s been awhile since I laughed so hard … and as memorable as I’m sure CoVid-19 will be, it will forever be overshadowed by the time we got lice and, as a family, shaved our heads.

Peace fellow humans. No doubt this situation is terrible. But just because it’s terrible, doesn’t mean it has to suck. (And if you’re reading this when Coronavirus is a distant memory … well, I hope my plight of lice put a smile on your face!)

Before

After

Author Notes Michael Anderle

April 17, 2020

THANK YOU for reading our story!

We have a few of these planned, but we don’t know if we should continue writing and publishing without your input.

Options include leaving a review, reaching out on Facebook to let us know and smoke signals.

Frankly, smoke signals might get misconstrued as low hanging clouds so you might want to nix that idea…

I don’t cut hair… (And I’ve never had lice, so don’t know anything about that.)

I used to have long hair when I was in college. It was that ‘you aren’t in your parents’ home, I can have long hair and an earring’ time during the 1980’s. I shared this rejection of authority by growing my hair long, using hair bands while riding motorcycles.

Yes, I listened to heavy metal and had a Kawasaki EX500… They called it a sport-tourer, I called it fun and thankfully not the death of me.

It was the closest thing to sexy I ever had in my notoriously geek life. Except for something recently in the last five years, but that doesn’t count.

I’m married. Owning sexy stuff while married takes the sexy out of it. I’ve lived through the young-family-has-a-van-to-drive days and now I’m in the older-life-kids-out-of-the-house-can-afford-more-expensive-toys days.

Back in the 80’s, my hair got long enough that when I rode, I had to use a hair band or rubber band (which HURTS like an SOB trying to get it out of the hair) or spend twenty minutes cussing as I tried to pull a hairbrush through the tangles if I forgot.

I still flinch to this day thinking about pulling the hairbrush through my hair. I am empathetic to any dogs when you have to comb them and they have tangles. I try my best to keep away any pain.

Today I like to wear my hair much shorter because it takes less time to dry.

With the Pandemic, and not haircutting barbershops or anything available, I am trying new ways to style it.

Not very successfully mind you. I’m married, I only have one person to impress and she is usually looking at me strange. This would be a typical discussion.

Wife: “What is that hairstyle called?”

Me: “Keep it the @#%@# out of my face.”

Wife: “… looks nice.”

Well, she SAID looks nice. Her rolling eyes proclaimed she meant something else.

Ad Aeternitatem,

Michael Anderle

Dragons in Space

Dragon Approved™ Book Ten

Chapter One

The skies of Earth have an understated beauty. It’s as if when they took form, they wished to be seen as ordinary. They are the sort of skies that open up to you. They are human skies.

In the nine realms, there are skies that are filled with stars throughout the day and the night, skies that boast two suns or three moons, and skies that hold hosts of floating whales and creatures made from the stuff of myths. Yet whenever an elf or gnome steps onto Earth for the first time and is greeted with the accepting blue skies peppered with clouds that look soft enough to sleep on, they stop and stare. There is a beauty in the simplicity of Earth’s sky, one that cannot be easily understood or replicated.

It was this sky that Alex and the rest of Team Boundless tore into. A portal with a two-mile radius opened over the Big Sky state of Montana.

The portal was from the hadron collider at the Wasps Nest, one of the older models. It was Myrddin’s first attempt to find a way for humans to move throughout the realms without spells cast by magi or the use of a familiar. This collider wasn’t as precise as the newer models, and it tended to make oversized portals that could easily be noticed by many different kinds of technology.

A metallic warship roughly the size of a Navy aircraft carrier floated out of the portal. It buckled for a moment before it adjusted to the gravity of the planet, firing its thrusters to even out and remain in the air.

The ship was running a skeleton crew, just enough to keep it operational. Myrddin didn’t have enough recruits or officers to spare, so they were making do with what was available. The crew was in the main viewing area of the craft.

And because most of them had never been to Earth before, all duties were put on hold as they crowded around the windows.

Manny, a Beholder who headed up the recruitment process for the dragonriders and just about any other group that had to deal with the human realm, was one of the few passengers who didn’t seem interested in the view. Instead, his many eyes were poring over a collection of paper and digital dossiers.

The other person seemingly uninterested in the ship’s descent through Earth’s skies was Alex, the leader of Team Boundless. As the rest of her team clambered to the viewing ports, Alex sat near Manny, reading a book on the theories behind human integration of draconic fluids. She yawned loudly as she read. The book was far from interesting.

Manny looked up from his work, one of his eyes narrowing as he watched Alex reading. “Would’ve thought you’d be more interested in being home,” Manny murmured under his breath but loud enough for Alex to hear, then even louder, “Some people would kill for this kind of shore leave.”

She tried to ignore Manny, concentrating on her book’s text. It was difficult. She was having a hard enough time paying attention to what she was reading, but it was better than trying to crowd around with everyone and pretend to be excited.

Manny was right; most people would have been excited about the chance to go home. Alex wasn’t one of them, though. Nervous wasn’t the word. She was more stressed than she’d ever been, and that was saying a lot since her life had devolved into a series of tense battles and events.

Alex looked down at her robotic hand. She’d left in such a rush, she hadn’t been able to head to the med bay and see if they had anything to make her arm any less noticeable. She wasn’t looking forward to explaining how she had lost her arm to her parents.

There was going to be a lot of yelling and crying, and that wasn’t the way to spend her first day home.

Alex glanced at the rest of the crew, who were losing their minds over the Montana skies. She was glad they were all enjoying themselves. She had even heard Brath, the perpetually grouchy gnome who seemed to despise human culture, gasp in awe when the ship had exited the collider portal.

It was probably better to give the team some space and let them take everything in on their own without risking raining on their parade. That was all she was able to do. There was too much on her mind to be social right now. Thoughts ran through her head faster than her dragon Chine could fly.

Before Alex left the Nest, she had spoken with Myrddin about the alien Vardis, who had come to Middang3ard with the promise of a weapon that could destroy the Dark One. From the get-go, Myrddin didn’t seem to want Vardis’ help.

The wizard had disclosed his fears to Alex before she and the team had left. He didn’t trust the alien. There were many different factors going into Myrddin’s opinion, and he didn’t know where he stood on the situation. It was an odd thing for a wizard who had been managing the war efforts for so long to be so indecisive.

Alex still didn’t know what she thought of the situation. On the one hand, it would make sense for Myrddin to be mistrustful of an unknown variable such as Vardis. The wizard knew what was going on in the nine realms, and anything outside his sphere of influence would seem untrustworthy.

On the other hand, he had brought up a couple of points that had embarrassed Alex but that she couldn’t disagree with. Vardis would only speak with Alex. At first, she had taken it as an insult that Myrddin thought this was a reason to be suspicious.

Alex had led three missions against all odds and had come out alive. She was steadily growing a reputation in the Nest as one of the best dragonriders in the Corps. That was what made Myrddin’s words so hard to swallow, but he was right.

Alex was only a kid, one who was still piecing together what was going on in the war and who didn’t have nearly as good an understanding of the war effort as Myrddin. If Vardis talked to anyone, it should have been Myrddin. Alex could see that now.

Needless to say, all this made going home for a dinner with her family more than a little troubling.

Manny cleared his throat loudly, catching Alex’s attention. “Are you planning on ignoring me for this entire ride? I haven’t seen you in weeks, and then it was hardly any more than a curt hello. You humans never cease to puzzle me.”

Alex sighed as she closed her book and placed it on the table next to her. “Sorry, Manny, I just have a lot on my mind. And you seem to be very busy.”

“Part of my job is looking out for your well-being when I’m around, and you don’t look like you’re doing very well, if I may say. All that stuff on your mind dragging you down?”

“It’s just…well, how much do you trust Myrddin?”

Manny put down his dossier, all of his eyes focusing on Alex. “What do you mean?”

Alex threw her hands up. “Not like that. I know he’s trustworthy. I just mean, do you think he’s always right? Do you ever doubt him?”

“Rarely,” the Beholder said, “but sometimes, yes. He’s not infallible. He’s human. An old human but a human nonetheless.”

“When was the last time you thought he was making a mistake?”

Manny smiled as he turned back to his work. “When he suggested recruiting a blind human to be a dragonrider. We both saw how that turned out, didn’t we?”

Alex slouched back in her chair and groaned. “Manny, I’m not trying to fish for reassurance, I’m being serious.”

Manny didn’t bother looking up from his work this time. “I am being serious. Humans are notorious for not having quick enough reflexes to be dragonriders. It’s the whole reason we have mech riders. And from what I understood of humans, being able to see was pretty important to riding. On paper, it all looked like a terrible idea. Yet here we are.”

Alex felt like Manny was trying to guilt her into blindly accepting Myrddin’s wisdom. True, she hadn’t seen any reason not to, but it still seemed like a bad idea to blindly follow anyone. “I’m not saying I don’t appreciate what—”

Manny interrupted. “Neither am I. Just saying I have my doubts too. I usually hope Myrddin is right.”

Alex wished Manny had heard what the wizard had told her about Vardis. There was nothing Alex wanted more than for Myrddin to be wrong about that one. She hoped this was as straightforward as Vardis having a weapon that worked. Then they could put an end to this damn war.

Jollies, a pixie with skin that flashed different colors depending on her mood, flew over to Alex. The pixie was about as long as Alex’s hand and often stood on her palm to talk. This time she zipped over and landed on the human’s shoulder. “You never told me Earth was so beautiful.”

Alex sighed and stood up. She wasn’t going to be able to sit this one out. Her roommate had come over to talk to her, so she either couldn’t take a hint or didn’t care. “Okay, okay, I’ll come check out the view with you.”

Most of Team Boundless were gathered at the same viewing portal. They were passengers on this one, though, their dragons traveling on a separate carrier heading toward an Earth base with an appropriate setup.

Alex squeezed in next to Jim, another human who was part of their team. Jim wasn’t a dragonrider but was one of the mech riders, a group of humans and elves who piloted dragon mechs.

As she took her spot, Jim reached down and quickly squeezed her hand. “How does it feel to be back home?”

Alex forced a smile as she avoided his eyes, looking out the viewing window and watching the clouds roll by. “Good,” she lied. “I can hardly believe I’m back here. Visiting has been all I’ve been able to think about.”

Jim watched Alex closely as if he wasn’t sure what to make of her words. “Yeah, same here, I guess,” he finally replied. “It’s going to be great to see my folks. Still can’t believe we’re here. Honestly, I forgot Earth existed for a little while. This is a good reminder.”

Next to Jim stood Brath, the red-headed gnome. Alex didn’t ever miss a chance to give him a hard time, and now was as good a time as any. Brath seemed to be genuinely in awe of the sky. “Hey, Brath, you gonna pick your jaw up off the ground anytime soon?” she quipped.

Brath slowly turned his head until he was facing Alex, his eyes still wide and a little dreamy. “Wait, what? Did you say something?”

“You okay, dude?”

“Yeah, definitely, definitely,” he murmured as he turned back to the view.

Gill, who was standing beside Brath, leaned behind the gnome and tapped Jim on the shoulder, hissing a little to catch Alex’s attention as well. “Brath is from a community of deep gnomes,” Gill explained. “They rarely see the sky when they’re growing up. As a result, the first time deep gnomes see a new sky, they go into something like a trance. It’s similar to a recreational drug. He’ll probably do the same when he sees the sunset here, too.”

Brath punched Gill in the kneecap. “What have I told you about babbling on about why I do what I do?”

Gill laughed and shoved Brath playfully. “I only wanted to let the humans know why you’re behaving so adorably. Didn’t want them to think you were getting soft.”

“I’m not getting soft. It’s just so damn beautiful,” Brath murmured.

The rest of them couldn’t help but laugh at Brath’s attitude change. The gnome didn’t seem to mind. He was thoroughly engrossed in the sky.

A voice came through the intercom. “Please return to your seats. We’re going to begin our descent. We should be on the ground in ten minutes.”

The team grumbled as they complied, but Alex couldn’t have been happier. Staring out the window had been making her anxious. She would have preferred to have been riding Chine. Instead, she was locked up on a ship, trying to pretend her mind wasn’t racing a mile a minute.

She took a seat across from Manny. “Are you coming with us?”

Manny shook his head as he leafed through papers. “Nope, not this time. Just here to get you to the base. After that, it’s just you, the team, and Vardis.”

“What do you mean, Vardis?”

“Myrddin didn’t tell you? Vardis is going with you guys. Guess he thought it would be better for you to keep an eye on him.”

“Than for him to remain in quarantine?”

Manny rolled some of his eyes as he continued to read. “Like I said, sometimes I have my doubts. Things usually work out, though.”

Alex hoped the Beholder was right.

Chapter Two

The carrier touched down on a base on the plains, far from any form of civilization. From the sky, it looked like a blip in the wilderness.

Once the carrier had landed, the doors opened and the main crew filed out, leaving only the dragonriders and Manny. That was when Alex realized she had no idea what was supposed to be happening other than arriving on Earth. Now she realized why Manny had been sent along. Myrddin must have thought it would be easier to send a chaperone than to explain all the details.

Just as Alex had suspected, Manny was gathering his things. He transported them into a void realm, then approached Team Boundless. “Looks like it’s time to get going,” the Beholder said as he floated past the teenagers, who exchanged glances for a moment before following him. No one except Alex was used to taking orders from Manny.

Outside the carrier, the crew had lined up and were being talked to by the commander of the base they had just arrived at. Manny led the dragonriders into the base, which looked worlds different than the Wasps Nest.

Alex had never seen a military base before—truthfully, the Nest was the first base of any kind she’d ever seen—but the Nest and this base were two very different places.

What Alex first noticed was the difference in the air. There was something about the air at the Nest. Alex had thought it was unnamable while she was there, but now she knew what the scent was: it was magic.

The air at this base, however, was as unmagical as it got. It smelled like oil and old grease and sweat. Like a place where a lot of people worked very hard.

Another difference was the lack of advanced tech. Manny had to open a door with his eye tentacles, a feat that took a few minutes despite Alex and Jim offering to help.

Once the riders were inside, Alex marveled at the sheer size of the base. Its construction was impressive in the simple way that all human things seemed to be. The base reminded Alex of photos her dad had sent her of his office since she’d gotten her vision.

The rest of the team didn’t seem to be the least bit disappointed. Jollies and Brath stared fixedly at everything the team walked past as they followed Manny down the halls. The vending machines interested Brath the most. He couldn’t understand why humans would be so cruel as to put food behind a glass wall.

Jollies was mystified by how dark it was. Alex wouldn’t have noticed if Jollies hadn’t brought it up, but the pixie was right. Not that the base was badly lit; it was just a different kind of lighting than she was used to. The Nest probably didn’t use electricity for power.

Manny continued to lead the riders through the halls as they talked. Brath and Jollies were full of questions about how humans could create such a depressing-looking place, and whether Alex had seen anything like this before. The two were very disappointed when Alex reminded them she had been blind for her whole life. She hadn’t seen a lot of things. Still, they pestered her with questions until she finally groaned and told them to ask Jim, whose father was in the military. If anyone could answer their questions, it was Jim.

Jollies and Brath wasted no time accosting Jaws with their questions, and he did everything he could to answer them. Gill, as usual, was quiet, watching and listening to what others were saying, his eyes soft and deep in thought. Alex wondered what the drow was thinking about all this.

Finally, they rounded a corner and came to the only part of the base that looked remotely familiar: the quarantine area. It seemed that Myrddin had done some upgrading to help the human base house Vardis, who sat in a glass-walled room. He stood when he saw the riders walking toward him. “Greetings, Manny, riders,” he said politely.

One of Manny’s eyes stared at Alex. Without eyebrows or a face to go along with the eye, it was always difficult to figure out what Manny was trying to convey. “Good to see you as well,” he said as the door opened.

The alien stepped out of the room. He was a couple of inches taller than the dragonriders. “How was your ride over?”

“Teleporting on an air carrier is preferable to any other method of transport. At least I had a bathroom to throw up in.”

Vardis nodded as if he understood. “Once the Dark One is defeated, my people will have much technology to share with yours. There is no doubt it will usher in a grand age for your people. It is not uncommon for a civilization to be propelled forward because of alien technology.”

Alex chuckled to herself. It sounded like Vardis had been reading alien conspiracy books like her dad. From everything she’d seen so far, none of the other races of the nine realms needed help jumping forward. And almost all of the tech at the Nest had been created by humans under Myrddin’s supervision.

It seemed odd to Alex. Vardis still hadn’t told any of them what the weapon was. Even if Alex had trusted Vardis originally, Myrddin had laid seeds of doubt in her mind. It was going to be hard not to see everything Vardis did or said through that lens, but was that any way to work with him?

The Beholder and the alien broke away from everyone else and started to talk. Alex thought that was strange. There was no reason to assume Vardis had information for Manny, given the way he’d acted before. Many things seemed questionable now that suspicion had been introduced to her mind.

Team Boundless stood around like a bunch of children. That infuriated Alex, but there was nothing she could do about it. She wasn’t certain what they were here for besides the weapon on the moon, which she was going to be responsible for acquiring.

Manny floated away from Vardis and over to Alex. He looked uncertain. “So,” he began, “your parents asked if you’d be able to have dinner with them tonight. We were wondering if you’d be comfortable bringing the team with you.”

Alex grinned widely. Uncertain as she was about the whole situation, she’d been looking forward to her parents meeting her friends, even if it might make her parents uncomfortable. “Of course!”

“And we were also wondering if you’d be comfortable bringing Vardis along.”

The question made a lump form in Alex’s throat. She tried to answer, but nothing came out. Luckily, Manny didn’t push it. “Of course, you’ll have time to think that over. It is a bit much to ask you to spring gnomes, pixies, elves, and aliens on your parents in one sitting.”

Alex quickly recovered, making it seem as if she hadn’t been bothered by the question at all. “Yeah, it would be a lot to drop on them,” she answered. “When would that be?”

“After we take care of some necessities. We still need to get your dragons outfitted for the mission. Since we’re running on a pretty tight schedule, I figured it would be better to prep the dragons before the final touches are put on. Follow me.”

Manny floated away. Team Boundless followed him as he led them yet through another lengthy set of winding hallways. The farther they went into the military base, the more it reminded Alex of the Nest. Even the smell of magic was present.

The dragons were housed in a smaller version of the stables from the Nest. Alex recognized the design as soon as she walked into the room. Granted, it wasn’t nearly as large or open, but whoever had constructed it had put in a lot of work to make sure the dragons had enough space.

It looked as if the room could easily accommodate at least fifteen dragons, but it didn’t seem to be in use yet.

Alex walked farther into the makeshift stables, happy to come across something that felt familiar. She reached out to Chine telepathically. His response was nearly instantaneous. Finally! I thought you were never going to get here.

Chapter Three

All of the dragonriders’ dragons were currently housed in the makeshift stables. The riders were ecstatic to see their dragons again. Alex was surprised by how happy she was to hear Chine’s voice in her head. It hadn’t been that long since she had last seen him.

Alex leaped into Chine’s nest, threw her arms around his neck, and said hello. Chine seemed just as happy to see her. So, this is Earth? I didn’t think I would live long enough to see this place.

Death? Alex had never heard Chine mention his mortality. It caught her off-guard. What do you mean, live long enough to see Earth? she asked.

Chine stretched out his wings as he peeked over the edge of his nest, checking on what the rest of the riders and dragons were up to. Dragons live for a very long time, but I am very aware that my life might not reach its natural length due to our situation.

What’s our situation?

The war. The constant battles.

Alex was glad she’d caught herself before she snapped at him. For some reason, she had thought Chine was implying that his death was part of their bonding.

The idea was so foreign that Alex could have sworn it came from someone else. It was the opposite of what she’d been feeling about the dragon only a few seconds ago. Hopefully, he didn’t notice. She would keep it to herself. Do you think they’re going to let us take you to meet with my parents?

Chine shook his head and chuckled. I doubt it. Where would we stay while you eat? Besides, I would prefer to have my augments installed over the night as well. These are supposed to be easier to deal with than the ones in Middang3ard. I’d like to see if that is true.

Alex stayed with him for a bit longer, the two of them talking in the fashion that they had both grown comfortable with. The thought didn’t often cross Alex’s mind, but she was suddenly reminded of how much she appreciated the dragon being in her life.

The ether dragon was the being she was closest to in the whole world. Even when they weren’t talking to each other, they were in contact. Thoughts and feelings passed between the two of them on such an instinctual level that Alex never thought twice about it.

That was what was happening at the moment. Neither Chine nor Alex was purposely sending anything, but they were still playing off each other’s thoughts, letting them wash through and responding in kind. It was a different kind of interchange than Alex had experienced with any of the other telepaths in Middang3ard.

Telepathy reminded her of Vardis. The two of them were linked now. Was that a good idea? Especially since she was linked to Chine too. Did that mean that Vardis had access to the dragon’s mind?

Reassurance from Chine poured over Alex like warm water. No, he doesn’t have access to my mind. I am a stronger telepath than most, stronger than the alien.

Do you think it’s okay to trust him? I mean, he’s coming to dinner with us all from what Manny told me.

Chine folded his claws over each other and rested his head on them as he stared at Alex with his deep-black eyes. Trust is a difficult thing to understand. On the one hand, we have no reason to believe anything this Vardis says. And on the other, how are we to defeat the Dark One without trusting those who share in our fight?

The dragon had a point. The other races of the nine realms had to have learned to trust each other over the years they’d worked together. Just because they were getting along now didn’t mean things had always been like that. There had to have been a period of time during which they were all building that trust. I guess bringing him to dinner is a pretty good first step.

I would think so.

Alex looked down at her dragon anchor to check the time. I should get going. I’m pretty sure I have to do a briefing with Manny before we’re allowed to leave the base. I’ll see you in a bit, big guy.

Alex prepared to leave and suddenly stopped. Hey, I just thought of something. When I’m not around, what do you do?

Chine stood up on his hind legs and leaned over the edge of the nest as Alex climbed out. Usually, we’re left to our own devices. I have friends, much like you. Since none of us are near our families, those in the Nest have become our family. Generally, we’re allowed to come and go as we please. Unfortunately, that will not be the case during our time on Earth.

I’m really sorry you have to be cooped up the whole time we’re here.

Chine winked at Alex and then exhaled a small cloud of dust, the dragon equivalent of shrugging. Nothing to worry about. I have my friends. Timber and I have plans to teach Furi meditation techniques. He could use some calm.

Alex laughed as she turned to leave and find Manny. “Him and Brath both,” she said over her shoulder.

* * *

Alex found the Beholder in the mess hall, staring at a bowl of sad-looking soup. He seemed to be in the same state as the soup. Most of his eyes looked up when he saw Alex. “You know, when I found out I was coming to Earth, I had my hopes set pretty high,” he said. “This is only the first stop, and I’m praying this doesn’t set the bar for the whole trip.”

Alex took a seat across from Manny and peered at his soup. It looked like brown sludge with bits of vegetables floating on the surface. “My dad’s cooking is much better than that.”

“That won’t help me. I’m not joining you for dinner, just Boundless and Vardis. Your family is going to be the ambassadors for all things human.”

Alex gulped. All things human? Sure, why not add a little more pressure, she thought. “Why aren’t you coming? Don’t you want to keep an eye on everything?”

Manny poked his soup as if he thought that would make it more appealing. “No, I trust you, and so does Myrddin.”

Alex considered his words and nodded slowly. “This is a very different trip than the last few.”

“Think of it as a short vacation. Nothing’s trying to kill you. We’re just picking up something hidden in one of the safest quadrants of the nine realms. It’s about time we all got a break.”

As Manny started to slurp his soup, Vardis walked into the mess hall. He took his time walking over to the table, and he stood awkwardly once he arrived. “Are you going to sit down?” Alex asked, slightly annoyed by how uncomfortable the alien seemed.

Vardis looked confused by the question. “Is that the most appropriate way to handle these kinds of situations?”

Alex scooted over to make room for him. “Yeah, definitely,” she explained. “When we go to my parents’ house, we’ll be sitting and talking. If you see a bunch of people sitting, it’s usually a good idea to sit as well. Otherwise, people think you’re trying to rush them.”

Vardis seemed to be paying attention, but it was hard to tell with his dark eyes. “Excited to meet my family?” she continued to make conversation. She hadn’t talked to the alien about anything other than the weapon yet.

Manny continued eating, probably happy to not be included in the conversation.

Vardis watched the Beholder slurping his food. “Yes, this will be my first meal with humans. I am very excited to partake. And then we will retrieve the weapon from your moon, correct?”

“Yep, that’s the whole reason we’re here. That and to give everyone an idea about how great Earth is. Maybe they’ll fight even harder to keep this place from blowing up.”

“The Dark One does not blow planets up. He eats them from the inside until there is nothing left and they collapse in on themselves, killing everyone who was sustained by their place of birth.”

Alex and Manny exchanged glances in the dead quiet that followed his statement. “Uh, it was just a phrase,” the rider murmured. “Try not to say that at dinner if you can help it.”

Vardis blinked in surprise, looking like a giant insect. “Say what?”

“Never mind. I take it back. Just be yourself. Let’s hope it works out.”

* * *

It didn’t take long for Team Boundless to be ready to leave. Alex explained to her team that they didn’t have to adhere to any specific customs for the visit. That was a relief for everyone involved, but despite Alex’s constant reassurances, Jollies, Brath, and Gill wore their best formal clothes to meet Alex’s parents.

Gill’s formal drow suit was far too proper for a small get-together of friends. The suit was hand-stitched by one of the finest tailors in Gill’s community. Each thread could be seen individually and glimmered like a polished jewel. The narrow outline of the suit gave way to a flowing robe past the waist. It was a very flattering outfit.

Brath, on the other hand, had chosen a rough suit of dwarfish chainmail armor. He explained that it was mostly ceremonial. His father had passed it on to him, and his father before him. It had never seen battle, which was good since the armor was old enough to fall apart under the weakest of plasma blasts.

Jollies hadn’t worn anything special but whispered to Alex that pixies as well as fairies attended all major social events in the nude. She had thought it better to ask Alex ahead of time and joked, “It’s not hard to dress down.”

Once everyone had changed into something more comfortable, Boundless headed out to meet Alex’s parents.

* * *

For the first time in months, Alex stood at her front door. The last time she’d been here was when Manny and Myrddin had come to recruit her. Now she was about to knock with a host of other races in tow. Hopefully, her parents wouldn’t freak out too much.

The door was opened almost instantly. Her mother and father crowded the threshold. Liza and George were all smiles, both of them trying to blink back tears. George leaned forward, scooped Alex up in his arms, and squeezed her tightly. “It’s so good to finally see you again, kiddo.” He laughed as he tightened his grip.

Alex managed a weak hello with the little bit of air she had in her lungs before her father dropped her. She gave her mom a kiss, and Liza promptly burst into tears and rushed to wipe them away.

George stepped back, motioning for the rest of the guests to come in. “Please, don’t stand outside. It’s time we got to know each other.”

Alex walked into the house, surprised her parents weren’t caught off guard by a gnome, a dark elf, and a pixie. Why her parents didn’t notice the alien standing at the rear was beyond Alex’s understanding. Even Jim seemed to think it was weird. He leaned over and said, “My parents would be losing their minds right now.”

George and Liza stood in the living room as the rest of the group awkwardly glanced at Alex, waiting for her to take the lead on the introductions.

After the introductions were over, she asked, “So, you guys aren’t weirded out by this?”

Liza laughed as she waved away Alex’s question. “Of course not, honey. After you left, your dad and I decided we had to check out Middang3ard VR. It didn’t make sense to be completely in the dark about what you were getting involved in. We each got our own set. Spending date nights in Middang3ard has made them a lot more interesting.”

George took a seat in his recliner. “Not to toot our own horns too loudly, but we’ve become kind of a big deal in there,” he said lazily, trying to downplay how happy he was with himself.

Jollies flitted over to Alex’s shoulder and whispered, “Your parents seem really cool.”

Alex wasn’t expecting that to be her friends’ reaction. “Wait until they talk more.”

George, who hadn’t heard Alex, leaned forward in his chair and said, “You might have heard of us. KillerStud313 and HotMammaBlood.”

Jollies’ skin shifted from its formerly calming blue to bright, excited pink. “Wait! That’s you guys? Oh, my gods! You guys are legends!”

Alex couldn’t believe what she was hearing come out of Jollies’ mouth. “Are you serious?”

Jollies flew in front of Alex’s face and grabbed her by the cheeks. “These two single-handedly beat the end-game raid that takes eighteen people to finish! The only party to ever finish it faster was the Mundanes, and we all know how good they are.”

Alex stared at her parents. Liza didn’t seem to think it was a big deal, but George was smiling smugly, obviously proud of himself. “Well, I mean, we hold other records,” he said as well. “But we can talk about that over dinner. Now, which of you is giving me a hand in the kitchen? Gill? Fancy helping me butcher a hog?”

Gill’s eyes lit up in a way Alex had only seen once before. “Oh yes, I would like that a lot,” he blurted excitedly.

Gill and George rushed off. Jim, Brath, and Vardis continued standing in the living room, looking at their hands and trying to figure out what they should do. Alex said, “You guys should go help in the kitchen too.”

Liza walked over to the huddle of boys, threw her arms around them, and exclaimed, “We’re all helping. I can rustle up something for you to do.”

As Liza ushered the boys into the back, Jollies flitted around her, begging Liza to tell her stories about her and her husband’s exploits in VR. Liza laughed as she started to delegate tasks to the team, promising Jollies she would tell her all about them.

Alex watched as her two worlds blended seamlessly together. Chine probably would have fit in nicely as well if he could have fit into the house.

* * *

Liza and George instructed Alex’s team and Vardis on how to set the table. Dinner hadn’t taken too long to cook due to the many hands at work. Alex even offered a little bit of help, even though she was a terrible cook. Setting the table was something she knew like the back of her hand. She’d spent years doing it blind.

Once the table was set, she helped her family and her team cart the food out. She hadn’t had human food cooked by human hands in a long time, and she had forgotten how much she loved her parents’ cooking.

When they were all seated, Liza proposed a toast. She raised her glass of wine and said, “To new friends and new adventures. To the people who keep my daughter safe!”

Alex couldn’t help smiling and looking at Jim. The night was going better than she could have imagined.

Across the table, Vardis reached for the pumpkin pie.

George clicked his tongue playfully as he passed the pie to Vardis. “You know, most places on Earth, you have to save dessert for last. Not in the Bound household, though.”

Vardis smiled politely and nodded. “I greatly appreciate your hospitality. The last planets I have visited have not been…” He looked at Alex, who mouthed the word “normal.”

“What I mean to say,” Vardis continued, “is that this is a beautiful meal. Thank you.”

Vardis cut a piece of pie and placed it on his plate. He watched everyone eating for a second before grabbing his fork and cutting himself a bite. He tossed the pie into his mouth and chewed slowly. “Oh, that is delicious.”

Suddenly, he screamed. His body convulsed, and his screams grew shriller.

Alex stood to go to Vardis when her head erupted in searing pain. She grabbed the back of her head as she lost her balance and fell to the floor. Whatever had happened to Vardis was happening to her as well.

Chapter Four

Alex couldn’t see anything but red. The pain she felt was beyond anything she’d ever experienced. It felt like someone was slicing her open, starting at the spine, dragging the knife, taking their time, carving up her nerves until they got to her brain.

When Alex opened her eyes, she saw her family and friends crowding around her and Vardis, who was still screaming. She wanted to reach out, ask for their help, but she couldn’t speak. Her jaw was clamped so tight she thought she was going to crack her teeth.

Another wave of pain wracked her, her back rigid as her hands clenched, frozen as if she were trying to hold onto something.

More pain, and still more. Her vision was starting to blur, the world around her fading. But not into darkness—into something more troubling and confusing. She watched herself on the floor, convulsing.

If Alex chose to look away, which she felt the strong urge to do, she could see stars flashing behind her as if they were rushing to be someplace. There were suns and moons, and they watched as Alex turned away from the small girl on the floor, quivering in agony.

Instead of staying, Alex walked through the cosmos, looking at whatever caught her attention. She was aware that the girl was still on the floor. So was the alien, but it didn’t matter. The stars were more interesting.

Alex continued to wander, stopping here and there at an interesting planet, wondering what scurried across its surface or if it had life at all.

Then without warning, the universe went cold. It hadn’t been warm before, but now it was freezing. Her bones ached from the sudden temperature drop. She hoped the girl she’d left behind was going to be safe.

She headed in the direction of the vicious breeze.

It was not long until Alex found what she was looking for. There was a small boy, pale as the whitest snow, wearing a fox-skin robe that reached his bare feet and a mask made from a deer’s skull. The cold was not coming from the boy, though. It emanated from what he was staring at.

Ahead of him was something like a planet but nothing like one at the same time. It had mass, but the surface swirled and moved as if the skin were revolting against itself. Occasionally tendrils of the black skin-like substance shot out from the planet as if it were grasping for something around it.

The cold came from the thing.

As Alex watched the living black planet, she saw it shudder and expand. The expansion was slight, and as it grew larger, everything around it grew colder for a second as if it were sucking out the life of all that surrounded it.

Alex did not know why, but she wanted to reach out to the black planet, wanted to touch its slippery skin. She knew what would happen if they were to touch. It was a visceral knowledge, something that had been within her since birth and perhaps existed in all sentient beings.

Whatever that thing was, it would kill Alex if she touched it like it was killing that planet. One touch was all it would need. The black wasn’t part of the planet, it was the thing that was killing it, and it could spread easily.

While Alex was drawn to the planet, she was also disgusted. Whatever had caused this to happen was unnatural. It disturbed her on a primal level. If she’d had a body, she probably would have been sick to her stomach. Oh yeah, my body, she thought absentmindedly, looking over her shoulder as if she would see it trailing behind her.

The little boy ahead turned to face Alex, his eyes glowing white-hot behind his mask. “What are you doing here? I didn’t think I would see you again.”

Alex heard the boy, but she had no idea what he was talking about. She stared at him blankly, wondering if that was his body or if he was like her—something outside of a body, floating about, trying to make sense of the universe in which it was merely a speck. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’m not sure what I’m doing here, either.”

The boy pointed to the planet being swallowed up by a darkness vast and perverse. “That’s what he does. That’s how he eats them, and he wants to eat them all.”

“The Eater of Worlds.” Vardis had used that phrase to describe the Dark One. She had thought he was speaking metaphorically. He had explained how the Dark One took a planet’s resources. Alex hadn’t realized he meant the Dark One quite literally devoured planets from the inside.

What exactly was the Dark One? How could something that inhuman be able to control armies or create technology? What Alex was looking at right now didn’t seem to have any more intelligence than lichen or a fungus.

Then something changed on the planet’s surface. The earth broke apart, swirling as if caving in on itself, and something forced itself from the opening rent. Teeth lined the gash as something like a fetus forced itself out of the planet’s wound, its body frail and skeletal, its head encased in a shroud of some sort as clouds gathered, covering the thing’s obscene nakedness.

An eye opened in the caul. It was large and angry, and it turned its cyclopean gaze upon Alex.

The thing knew she was there. It had seen her. She was terrified.

The thing snarled, its tendrils pulsing as they caressed the surface. Another blast of cold hit them as the planet grew larger.

A voice called to Alex from the darkness far behind her, back where the body of the girl and the strange alien were laying. Alex! it shouted. Alex, come back!

Alex recognized the voice. It was Chine. What was he doing out here? Dragons couldn’t survive in space. Not without special equipment. She realized she couldn’t survive in space without special equipment either. How the hell was she out here?

Come back, Alex! Come back now!

Alex didn’t know if she should listen to the voice. Even though she was afraid of the thing clawing its way out of the tendril-filled planet, she knew it wouldn’t hurt her. Or at least, she thought it wouldn’t hurt her. She wasn’t like the rest of space. She was like the pale boy. Where had he gone?

Then without warning, Alex felt hands on her back. They pulled her hard, and she fell back into the body of the girl who was lying on the floor. Her eyes had rolled back, and she was as rigid as a corpse.

Alex, back in her body, bolted upright fast enough to make everyone in the living room jump. Blood was pouring from her nose and her ears, and she felt sick to her stomach. When she tried to move, she fell over and coughed up a bloody black mass of something she would have preferred not to look at. Then she passed out.

* * *

When Alex woke up, she was bundled in a blanket on the living room couch. Vardis was also wrapped in a blanket in her dad’s chair on the other side of the room. Liza and Gill were in the room, both of them looking worriedly at the rider. “What happened?” she groggily mumbled.

Liza rushed over and covered Alex’s forehead with kisses. “I didn’t think my pumpkin pie was that bad,” she managed to joke.

Alex laughed, but her stomach clenched, cutting her laughter off abruptly. “Your pie could never be bad enough to do that.”

Across the room, Vardis was staring at Alex with his deep, dark eyes. Gill was doing the same, but his gaze was much softer and worried as well. “It was an attack,” the alien said. “By the Dark One.”

Alex tried to sit up. Her body ached less, and she felt like she needed to start moving to ease her muscles’ cramps. “Why the hell would he attack me like that?” she asked. “He shouldn’t even know I’m here.”

“The attack was not on you, it was on me. As I told you before, we are linked psychically. I did not know that if someone invaded my mind to inflict harm on me, it would also affect you.”

Alex rubbed her head as she tried to focus. Everything still felt very fuzzy. “Wait, are you saying the Dark One knows you’re here?”

Vardis shook his head as he made a futile attempt to stand. “No, he does not. The Dark One is a powerful psychic. He does not need to know where I am to find me. All he needs to do is search out my mind. Usually, there are defenses up. Unfortunately, the meal provided to me was so delicious that I let my guard fall. It will not happen again.”

There were still things that didn’t make sense to Alex. “How come it stopped? If he caught you off-guard and I can’t defend myself, why did we all of a sudden stop being attacked?”

Vardis glanced at Gill, who was crouched in a chair, watching Alex closely. “Your friend did something he has yet to inform me about.”

When Gill spoke, it was with the measured attention to detail and pronunciation that Alex had started to realize stemmed from a lack of trust. “I connected your mind to Chine’s,” the drow said, “using my own. I amplified the telepathic link between you and the dragon until he was able to help you.”

Alex knew Chine had the ability to sense when she was in danger, but that was only good up to a certain amount of distance, and she was far beyond it. “Wait, are you saying you’re psychic too?” Alex asked, suddenly realizing what Gill was implying. She could see why he would have wanted to keep that a secret.

Gill tapped the side of his head as he slowly shook it. “No, I am not. There are some abilities that drow possess that I have, and one of them is the ability to increase the innate abilities of those around me.”

Liza’s face brightened as she realized there was something she understood. “Kind of like buffs in VR, right?”

“Exactly. All I did was amplify the connection you and Chine already have. It’s something I unconsciously do all the time, making Jollies more charming, Jim more adventurous, things like that. This was the first time I’ve tried to direct it, though.”

Alex half-wondered what Gill was amplifying about her when she was around, but that could wait for another time. “So, that was Chine who pulled me out of there?”

“Exactly.”

Alex looked around the room as she tried to hold everything together in her head. Her mind was still swimming. “Okay, now we know the Dark One can attack Vardis from anywhere. What do we do about it?”

Gill came over and sat next to Alex. “We move the plan up. We find this weapon and end this once and for all.”

Alex looked at her mom, trying to force a smile. “Sorry dinner got ruined, but we’ll have another one once this mission over. The next time, I won’t get attacked by a psychic planet.”

Liza hugged Alex, holding her tightly as she ran her hands through her daughter’s hair. “Be safe, sweetie. If that thing can hurt you like that here, you need to get rid of it as fast as possible. I’m so proud of you.”

Alex managed to pry herself away from her mom and stood. “Gill, get everyone ready. Time to put in an end to this.”

Chapter Five

Team Boundless arrived at the base before nightfall. They were all tense. No one had spoken much about what had happened at Alex’s home. There wasn’t much to say. It made her uncomfortable.

An explanation outside of Vardis’ would have been appreciated. It wasn’t that Alex didn’t trust the alien, she thought. Instead, it was that she was used to having information fed to her by Myrddin and Roy. She had to admit she’d been caught up in the chain of command. Having to think for herself in this situation was more than she’d expected.

That was not to say she was bitter about it. Initially, taking orders had been difficult for Alex. She’d have preferred to think for herself. Now she had to admit that there was a lot of comfort in knowing Myrddin usually had the answers.

Maybe Chine had something to help her get a better understanding of the situation. He was linked to her mind, and a strong enough telepath to pull her out of whatever that attack had been. There was a chance he might have learned something from the attack.

Team Boundless met Manny in the stables. He looked stressed out, all of his eyes whirling in a frantic way that made Alex uncomfortable. She hated seeing Manny stressed. He was incapable of hiding it, and naturally, it ended up freaking Alex out.

The dragons were already on the augment platforms. They had been outfitted with an apparatus that Alex had never seen before. There were tubes stretching from the dragons’ mouths and wrapped around their backs, ending at the spinal anchor each of them was fitted with.

Goggles had also been attached to the dragons’ eyes. Something that looked like an exoskeleton was being attached to their wings. It created the effect of having the bones of their wings on the outside, making them look bat-like.

Alex walked up to Manny as the rest of the team moved toward their dragons. “What’s all this?”

Manny hardly looked up from his paperwork, floating back and forth. Alex hated it when he did that. The Beholder’s anxiety was so intense that it was contagious. “What’s what?” he mumbled distractedly.

Alex gestured to Chine, who was fidgeting uncomfortably as human scientists fiddled with the tubes that had been inserted in his mouth.

Manny glanced up for a second before returning to his paperwork. “Oh, that? We’ve had to adjust for the dragons being in space. I don’t understand it all. You’re going to have to get the technicians to explain it to you. And I need you to explain some things to me.”

“You heard about what happened at dinner?”

His main eye gave Alex all his attention. “Of course, I heard about it.” Manny sighed. “Gill and Jim both reported it as soon as it happened. But neither of them was very clear about what was happening, so I expect you to fill in the details.”

Alex hoped she had a good enough understanding of what had happened to give Manny a satisfactory report. Truth be told, she was a little confused. She knew she’d been attacked telepathically by the Dark One due to her connection with Vardis, but she wasn’t certain what the attack constituted.

Her body had been in pain, but at the same time, she’d been outside of it. That was the part that was confusing to her.

Alex figured it was best to just tell Manny what she’d experienced. “Vardis was attacked by the Dark One. I was dragged into it as well because we have a link. A psychic one.”

All of Manny’s eyes focused on Alex. “Does Myrddin know about the connection?”

Alex shifted her weight from foot to foot. “Yeah, he does. He wasn’t happy about it. Made him more uncomfortable than I am. But we’re linked together. I guess whatever hits him telepathically hits me as well.”

“What happened? Jim said you were in a lot of pain.”

Alex tried to find the right words, but there weren’t any. “I was, at one point. My body was in pain, but my mind was detached. I was watching something. A planet. It was covered in some kind of black stuff, and then something like a baby came out of the planet and looked at me, but I don’t know if it saw me. That was what was hurting me.”

Alex took a second to think and see if she was forgetting anything important. “And that kid, the one I saw in the meteor? He was there as well. He said he was part of the Dark One.”

“He was the one who helped you blow up the meteor, wasn’t he?”

Alex thought back to what had happened then. She was annoyed that she couldn’t remember nearly as much as she wanted to. Was her mind intentionally hiding things from her?

After an extended period of silence while Manny waited patiently, Alex finally said, “I don’t know if he was trying to help me. At the time, that’s what seemed like, but now I don’t know. Everything is confusing, and it’s not like when I experience things in real life. I can remember those, and they don’t confuse me. But what happened on the meteor or just now? That feels like trying to remember a dream. Everything starts to fade, or it doesn’t make any sense.”

Manny’s eyes softened, showing that he was at least trying to understand. Whatever was happening with Alex was outside his experience. “Wait!” she suddenly exclaimed. “Can’t you see multiple realities or dimensions or something like that?”

A few of Manny’s eyes turned their attention back to the papers floating in front of him as if he were avoiding the conversation. “Yeah, I can. It’s not as simple as you’re probably thinking, but I can perceive dimensions and realms outside the one I’m currently in.”

“Wherever I was, it wasn’t this dimension. I don’t know how I know that, but it wasn’t. If you were linked with Chine and me, do you think you could tell me where it was? What I was seeing?”

Manny rubbed his chin with one of his eye tendrils. “It depends if I’ve seen it before. Most of the universe across the realms looks the same, even in other dimensions. Unless there was something very noticeable, like a dozen black holes or maybe a few dying stars next to each other—anything like that—I might be able to, if I’ve seen it before.”

Alex thought back to her vision. There was nothing interesting or notable except the planet the Dark One was destroying. No landmarks she could think of. “Do you think it’s worth a try?”

Manny thought it through. “Maybe you should talk to the technicians. There are some things you need to know about how the lack of gravity is going to affect your mission. After that, we’ll give it a try.”

Alex agreed with him. She did want to know where the Dark One was or if it was only a trick of the mind, but the mission at hand took priority. If Boundless was able to retrieve the weapon, it wouldn’t matter either way. The Dark One would be dead. Problem solved.

With that in mind, Alex went over to the technician who was working on the space augments being attached to Chine. “I heard I’m supposed to get a tutorial on all this,” she called as she approached.

The technician, a young man with dusty brown hair wearing a name tag that read Greg, turned to face Alex. “Hey, I’ve been waiting for you,” he chirped cheerfully. “Glad to see you made it in time for me to go over everything. It won’t take too long, I promise.”

Greg waved Alex over and started to go through the augments he’d attached to Chine and why. The augments were far past the prototype stage but hadn’t been tested with riders on dragons. He assured her that the important components were all safe.

The tubes that had been attached were to deal with the lack of oxygen in space. They’d been trying to figure out a way to get oxygen to the dragons before realizing that the dragons would be able to breathe their own nitrous oxide. The tubes were basically a funnel, taking the fumes that were in the dragons’ stomachs and cycling them back through their systems, negating the need for them to carry oxygen.

The only problem was that the dragons would not be able to use flame attacks. That meant their riders were going to have to be meticulous in the augments they chose.

Chine and the other dragons were not used to being without gravity, but according to Greg, that wasn’t going to be the hard part.

The dragons weren’t going to be able to use their wings. Thrusters were being added to their backs, which the riders controlled. If something went wrong, the dragons could operate them, but Greg wasn’t sure how much good that was going to do.

Alex wished they had started training with these new controls weeks ago, or at least earlier in the day. It had been great to see her parents, but the time would have been much better spent getting used to the new way of riding.

Greg assured Alex that it would be like second nature in space. He did caution that it was going to take a lot more concentration since Chine wouldn’t be able to help her when it came to control unless she completely relinquished hers. Great, Alex thought before reaching out to Chine and asking him if he was comfortable with the new equipment.

Chine chuckled. Does it matter? Either way, this is our mission. We are going to have to do the best we can. We’ll figure it out.

Alex was glad the dragon was comfortable with the idea of being in space and having no control over his body. She wished she could pick up on his emotions more, but she realized that if Chine was very uncomfortable with the prospect, she would feel it. It would be nice to trust herself as much as Chine did.

Greg continued explaining the different augments she could use this time. She was only half-listening, though. Weapons were important, but they were something both she and Chine could easily figure out. She was concerned about why Greg was going on so long about how to arm up. Wasn’t this meant to be a simple fetch quest?

Alex asked him, “What’s the deal with all the weapons talk? When we were getting ready for a full-on invasion, nobody briefed us this much on artillery. This isn’t supposed to be a dangerous mission from what I understand.”

Greg seemed taken aback by the question. “Vardis didn’t tell you? He said the area he hid the weapon is heavily armed. It shouldn’t be a problem because he’s got the codes to everything, but better safe than sorry, in my opinion.”

Alex shut out the rest of what Greg explained. She focused on the fact that they were expecting to see heavy resistance on such a simple task—picking up a weapon. Something was off. Alex couldn’t put her finger on it but, whatever it was, it had to do with Vardis.

There was no time to deal with doubts at the moment, though. The mission was a go. Once Greg finished lecturing Alex on the different things to pay attention to, Alex went to her teammates and briefed them on the possible complications. No one seemed to be surprised. Now that everyone was up to speed, Alex went and found Manny.

The Beholder was still dealing with his paperwork but looked much less bothered than before. “Finished with all the prep?”

Alex shrugged, not knowing what else to do. “This is starting to sound like much more than Vardis suggested. I want to see if you can help me pin down where the Dark One’s attack came from.”

Manny stretched out one of his tentacles to Alex. “Take hold of this.”

Months ago, the notion would have disgusted Alex, but she’d grown up a lot. She grabbed it, and the Beholder’s eyes rolled back as he tried to see what Alex had seen.

After a couple of seconds, Manny opened his eyes again. “They are really from the same dimension. I can see that much.”

Alex let go of his tentacle. At least that part was true.

An alarm sounded in the stables; it was time to head out. Alex wished she had more time. She wasn’t certain what she was about to walk into, but she didn’t feel prepared. But how was that different from anything else she’d experienced?

Chapter Six

The dragons were set to take off at six in the evening. Tensions were high on the base. Alex didn’t need to be told this was the first time dragons had been sent into space. True, they had gotten pretty close when Boundless had dealt with the meteor, but this was an entirely different beast.

Manny assured the riders that the whole thing would go smoothly. This wasn’t something they had whipped up on a whim. Myrddin and the human base had been preparing for dragonriders to go to space since the inception of the program.

The last thing Boundless had to do was get their new gear. They would be holding onto their dragon anchors, but the armor they had used before would be useless. Someone in the DGA department (Alex suspected it was Abby and her crew) had figured out an ingenious way to use the draconic fluid in the anchors to supplement oxygen.

That meant that dragonriders wouldn’t have to wear bulky spacesuits. They would be going into space with suits that were designed to deal with extreme temperatures.

The suits were self-regulating and would keep the rider’s body temperature optimal by supplementing the rider’s metabolism with draconic fluid. The only downside was that the riders wouldn’t be able to use the more powerful personal augments that relied on the draconic fluid.

Alex didn’t think that would be a problem since there shouldn’t be any fighting. The additional augments the dragons had been outfitted with were merely a precaution. Vardis had repeated multiple times that he could easily turn off the defenses around the weapon.

Vardis still hadn’t disclosed what kind of weapon it was. That annoyed Alex, but the alien had assured her that explaining it would be a waste of time. The weapon was something that worked on an entirely different plane of reality, and Alex wouldn’t be able to grasp the explanation of what it was or what it did.

She still thought it was fishy that it had been stored on her plane, but she knew little to nothing about quantum mechanics or multiple dimensions. For the time being, she resolved to keep her mouth shut and see what happened.

Myrddin still hadn’t contacted Alex, and it was making her anxious. This was the first mission she was heading up, and she wished that he had at least left her something to work with. Granted, it meant Myrddin trusted her, but she wouldn’t have turned down some hand-holding.

Once Boundless had had their suits refitted, they went back to the stables to prepare for the launch. Jim was talking nervously to Jollies, joking much more than usual while Brath and Gill had grown quiet, speaking only in small bursts about unrelated things.

Alex stopped the group outside the stables. “How’s everyone feeling about this?”

No one in Boundless seemed to be in a rush to speak up. Finally, Gill said, “’Uncomfortable’ would be the best way to put it.”

“And what’s got you feeling that way? I don’t want to head up there until everyone has their heads on straight.”

Gill looked over his shoulder as if he were worried that someone was listening in. “For one, this is all new tech we’re using. None of us has tested it. Secondly, we are also going to be using this tech in a completely new environment. I don’t know anything about Earth, and I know even less about your solar system.”

Alex could see Gill’s points, but those were things neither she nor anyone else had control over. “We all have gravity on our planets. So, we all should have a pretty good idea of what happens when we don’t, right? But the rest of it, you’re right about. This is new tech, which means we all have to be paying close attention.”

Brath was bristling in his beard, tapping his fingers on his waist as he tried to contain whatever was going to inevitably come out. “Why are we even doing this?” he blurted. “If it’s as simple as picking something up, they should be sending someone else.”

Jollies’ eyes went wide as she stared at Brath. “What? Do you think this is beneath us?”

The gnome started to pace, trying to burn off nervous energy or irritation. “No, I don’t think this is beneath us. I’m just saying, the Nest has people pick up packages all the time. Some of them are pretty damn important. Why the hell are we suddenly delivery boys?”

Alex had been wondering the same thing, going in circles in her head. There were good reasons for either argument. If the weapon was that powerful and dangerous, Boundless should definitely be escorting it. Something that important couldn’t be left to just anyone to take care of.

But Boundless wasn’t the most qualified for the job even if that was the case. Why wasn’t Myrddin here personally? If this thing could get rid of the Dark One once and for all, shouldn’t he be retrieving it?

On the flip side, if there were defenses that could easily be disabled by Vardis, why didn’t the Nest send one of the other platoons? Theoretically, anyone could do this job.

Alex didn’t have the answers, and she didn’t pretend to. “Look, I don’t know. We have our orders. That’s all I can say.”

Gill cleared his throat as he checked over his shoulder again. “Maybe we should begin to question those orders?” he asked softly.

The members of Boundless seemed caught off-guard by Gill’s words. It was not that it hadn’t been thought of before. No one expected it to be Gill to say it, though. But he wasn’t finished. “There are things going on that we don’t understand. And it’s our lives at stake. I refuse to be a pawn.”

Alex could understand why he felt that way. It was how she’d felt when she’d realized Myrddin was keeping her in the dark, but things were different now. Or were they? “How does everyone else feel about this?”

Jollies and Jim, who had not spoken, exchanged glances, perhaps trying to figure out who was going to agree or disagree with Brath and Gill. Naturally, the pixie couldn’t contain herself. “I don’t like it,” she blurted. “We never know what’s going on. Ever. Why are they keeping us out of the loop?”

Jim countered, “That’s the way the military works. They don’t explain everything to every soldier. Do you know how much time that would waste? My dad was telling me that the amount of direct contact and intel was more than he ever had back when he was serving.”

Brath glared at Jim and spat, “So your father was happy being a pawn in events he didn’t understand?”

Jim’s face darkened as he clenched his jaws and his fists. “My dad is a great man. If you think you can talk about him—”

“I don’t understand why humans have the desire to follow someone and never ask any questions. Are you all that stupid? Just because there’s someone telling us that we have to do something, it doesn’t mean we should. We don’t have any idea what’s going on half the time. They tell us to go kill this, get that, but we don’t know why.”

Jim squared up with Brath, both of them looking as if they were ready to draw their weapons. “You think Myrddin is pulling some double-agent crap?” Jaws growled. “You think we’re all in some stupid-ass conspiracy or some shit?”

Brath stepped up to Jim, looking intimidating despite only coming up to Jim’s waist. “I’m saying if you can’t see that some of this doesn’t make sense, you’re either blind or an idiot!”

Gill stepped between the two and pushed them away from each other. “Everyone needs to calm down,” he said. “All of us. This isn’t the time or the place.”

Both Brath and Jim looked like they could have punched Gill in the face, but they both backed down.

Alex knew she should step in, but she didn’t know what to say. She wanted to back Jim, but she agreed with Brath. It felt like they needed to start questioning what was going on, but choosing a side right now wouldn’t help anyone. Boundless needed to be a team.

“So, we all have problems with what’s going on, right?” Alex cut in. “That’s not changing what we’re doing—”

Brath was still staring daggers at Jim, but he eased up as he turned his attention to her. “Alex, I’ll be straight up with you. I didn’t like you when I met you, but you’re a good leader. One of the best I’ve ever seen. And I’ll follow you. But you need to know, I want to trust you. And if you’re just doing whatever you’re told without asking questions, how can I do that?”

For the first time since Alex had met Brath, she could see the vulnerability in his eyes. He was scared. Terrified. And she could see why. She just wasn’t sure what to make of it. Instead of asking Gill, who she knew would give an answer that was mired in coolness and logic, she turned to Jollies, and asked, “What do you think?”

The pixie glanced at the different members of Boundless, no doubt trying to take emotional cues from them. When she couldn’t find anything, the color of her skin shifted to a near-translucent hue, showcasing her veins and vital organs. “We’re following you, Alex. Not Myrddin,” she said softly.

The rest of Boundless remained silent, each of them going through what their various statements meant.

Alex was also silent, trying to grasp the loyalty Boundless was giving her. “Fine. If that’s the case, we’re doing this. I don’t know anything more than the rest of you. We finish this mission, and then we stop taking every order that comes down to us. If it’s important enough for us to risk our lives, then we should know everything possible about it. Deal?”

The rest nodded in agreement.

“Good,” she said. “Now, let’s get this over with.”

Chapter Seven

Most of the base’s personnel were gathered in the stables. This was a momentous occasion, the first dragons going in space. Alex wondered what that meant to the people watching. For most of them, this was the first time they’d ever seen a dragon. What did it matter if they were going to space?

In a small corner of her mind, Alex felt ashamed of being judgmental. It wasn’t long ago that she’d never seen a dragon. Then again, it wasn’t long ago she couldn’t see anything at all. Of course, they should be excited. It would be weird if they weren’t.

Alex knew where the sneaky judgment came from too. She was annoyed. Not with Boundless, not with Brath. Everything that had been said was true. But it still bothered her. What good was an authority like Myrddin or anyone else if you couldn’t trust them?

Trust wasn’t something Alex had ever had a problem with. Her parents had always been straightforward with her. They’d never hidden anything from her or played games. Even when Alex had run off to try to save the nine realms, her parents had invested in the very thing that caused her to make that decision.

Not being able to trust Myrddin or anyone else in charge was a new concept for Alex, and it made her feel extremely unsettled.

She and the rest of Boundless seemed to have had something sucked out of them. This should have been an exciting mission, one most kids would have given anything for. But here were four teenagers, unable to look to the stars with any semblance of joy.

Manny came up behind Alex as she stood in front of Chine’s platform, looking at his augments. She had allowed the maintenance team to take care of them. She wasn’t sure what would be more useful in space. They’d informed her that the dragon’s flames wouldn’t be available due to the breathing apparatus. Machine guns and missiles were also not usable due to the lack of gravity.

At that point, Alex had no idea what weapons were viable, so she left it up to those who knew better and asked to be given a comprehensive explanation of what she had. She wanted to kick herself for not coming to the stables earlier and taking a look at the list.

Manny floated between Alex and the computer terminal. “You guys ready to do this?” he asked with a huge smile on his face.

Alex was certain the smile was genuine. Could Manny be trusted? She stared blankly at the smile. No, not Manny. She’d seen how much he was willing to risk for her and the others. There was no way she couldn’t trust Manny.

“About as ready as you can be to shoot off into space,” Alex answered. “Everything looking good down here?”

“I’m asking the same thing. You guys okay? You look a little distracted.”

Alex glanced over her shoulder at the rest of the riders prepping their dragons and getting ready to leave. “I think we’re just nervous,” she said, regretting lying to him. Maybe she could tell him the truth. Maybe it would be helpful to have someone on their side.

Their side? Are you serious, Alex? It isn’t them against us. We’re all trying to do the same thing—get rid of the Dark One.

Yeah, but some of us are fighting, and others who have the power to destroy entire armies are sitting up in their ivory castles, letting us take all the risks.

Alex knew that wasn’t fair. Myrddin was practically running the whole war effort. Still, thinking about it stung.

All of those worries and fears could be set aside for the moment. Alex pushed them down with everything else she’d been forcing out of her head for the last few months. She knew it was all going to come up at some point—it didn’t take a degree in psychology to figure that out—but it wouldn’t be today. Chine, you ready to do this?

The dragon stood up as smoke rose from his nostrils. Let’s hurry up and take care of this, he growled in Alex’s head. I want to get out of this thing as soon as possible. Tubes in your stomach? Humans have to figure out less barbaric ways to accomplish their goals.

Chine was uncomfortable, and his lizard-like face showed his pain. We won’t drag this out, big guy, Alex said as she jumped onto his back.

Alex attached her anchor and felt her boots connect with the dragon’s back. The connection was stronger than usual. On Middang3ard, Alex could walk around on Chine if she wanted to. That wasn’t going to happen this time. She could tell her feet weren’t going anywhere.

Jollies came through on Alex’s comm. “You know, we’re behind you, right?” she asked. “Everything we were saying, it isn’t about you. None of it. You’re a rider like us.”

“Yeah, I know,” Alex replied. “I appreciate you telling me, though.”

“Brath wanted to say something, but he couldn’t bring himself to. I mean, not to you. He’s been muttering about it to Gill since we’ve started suiting up.”

“What about Jim?”

Jollies didn’t answer immediately. “Uh, he hasn’t really said anything.”

“Are you just telling me that?”

Alex could hear the hurt in Jollies’ voice. “Of course not! I just wasn’t sure what would have been better—if he had said something or he hadn’t. Either way, he hasn’t said anything.”

Alex looked at the open sky above her. “It’s probably better that way. We shouldn’t have any infighting going on. Thanks for being a bigger person than Brath.”

“Not a problem.”

The gnome’s surly voice growled through the comm, “You know, you never disconnected from me, Jollies.”

The pixie squeaked, “Oh, crap! Uh, gotta go, Alex!”

Despite her stress and unease, Alex couldn’t keep herself from chuckling as she prepared for takeoff. Even if everything was crazy around her, she at least had her team. That was the important thing. Nothing was going to break Boundless up. “All right, everyone,” she shouted. “Get ready for takeoff!”

Alex pivoted her foot slightly and then pulled up hard on her dragon anchor, activating the thrusters on Chine’s back.

She instantly saw what the technicians had meant by her needing to take a lot more control of the dragon. There was noticeable resistance when she pulled her anchor back. Turning would be difficult.

But the thrusters worked fast. Chine was already rising in a fashion not much different than Jim’s mech, which was also starting to ascend. The rest of the riders were lifting off as well. Alex could hear them muttering over the open channel they usually kept open once everyone was airborne. “Oh, I don’t like this!” Gill said.

On the other hand, Brath was cackling. “Are you serious? Furi loves this.” He laughed. “Do you see how big these thrusters are? We could really haul ass if we wanted to. Plus, this guy is overjoyed that he practically gets to sit this one out. Just a big ol’ boat, right?”

Alex tuned out the rest of the riders. Not because she wasn’t interested or didn’t want to joke, but she really wanted to get a handle on what this ride was going to be like. She’d already noticed an increased amount of tension, and Brath had mentioned how strong the thrusters were.

There was only one way to figure that out.

Alex rotated her hand, instinctively changing the direction of the thrusters and punched forward. They launched at full throttle, rocketing into the sky with a force unmatched by anything humanity had sent to the stars to date.

She looked over her shoulder and watched the base disappear in a matter of seconds. “Holy crap!” she shouted as she slowed down, waiting for Boundless to catch up with her. She hadn’t been expecting to move that fast. “This thing is like a hyperdrive!” She laughed.

The riders had nearly caught up. Alex couldn’t help but wonder what Jollies’ and Amber’s speed was like. They were the faster riders by a long shot.

“Not quite hyperdrive,” a voice said.

Alex looked around and saw that Vardis had joined them. He wasn’t using a ship, though. He was merely flying through the sky, a bright yellow aura around him. As if reading Alex’s mind, which he probably was, he said, “Your atmosphere is much thinner than I’m accustomed to. I can easily keep pace with you and your dragons for our trip to the moon.”

Just how strong is this guy in our dimension? Alex thought, becoming increasingly aware that Vardis might be able to read all of her thoughts. It made her very uncomfortable.

Chine’s voice came through Alex’s head. Don’t worry about Vardis. He might be a powerful telepath, but he’s nothing compared to me. As long as I’m conscious and we’re this close, he won’t hear anything. Nothing like what happened at dinner could occur right now.

Alex heaved a sigh of relief. I’m glad to hear that.

This was the fun part—breaking through the atmosphere. Alex knew how powerful the thrusters were, but she didn’t see the point in pushing them to their limit again. Instead, she started a steady ascent, paying close attention to how each movement between her and Chine felt, while also allowing herself to enjoy the new sensation of flight.

Having this much control was different. It felt more like what she’d experienced in VR. Very familiar, but not as good as the real thing. Still, she was glad it wasn’t completely foreign. She could still enjoy the experience.

And what an experience. It only took one look over her shoulder at the Earth disappearing behind her to make her heart swell. Everything she’d known in her earlier life had become small.

As the air started to thin, Alex felt the dragon anchor start to heat up. That must have been the oxidation of draconic fluid to oxygen. Thank God for magic tech, Alex thought. Gonna have to shoot Abby an email about this one.

The stars got much larger. One moment, Alex was very aware she was still in the Earth’s atmosphere, and the next, they weren’t. She felt the last bit of gravity relinquish them, and there was a moment when she felt her body rising as if she’d float off of Chine. Then the anchor kicked in, and she settled down on his back again.

What a sight it was—an infinity of blackness peppered with lights that twinkled and invited. It was beyond anything Alex could ever have imagined. It must have been the same for the rest of the riders and dragons because they were all silent.

“This is so beautiful,” Jollies finally said. “Incredible.”

Alex nodded before she realized she was still capable of talking. “Yeah. I can’t wait to see the moon,” she finally said. “Let’s go, Boundless.”

Chapter Eight

Team Boundless raced toward the dark side of the moon. They were all silent, thoroughly engrossed by the foreign beauty of space. For all their lives, they had stared at the sky at night. Alex didn’t think any of them had ever dreamed they’d be up there.

Crossing into different realms had been exciting, but there was no comparison. The realms were mirrors of one another. Nothing was very different or alien. Space was something else entirely.

Alex activated her HUD and started to record everything she could see. Her parents would lose their minds over this. It would be a nice memory to look back on after the Dark One was taken care of. “Hey, remember that time I went to outer space?”

The moon was getting closer. It was time to focus on the mission at hand. “Vardis, where are we going?” she asked. “Did you send us specific coordinates?”

Vardis came up on Alex’s side and shook his head. “No, it was dangerous to send them. If the Dark One had any spies in your base, I risked giving up the location. But I’ll lead you there. Just follow me.”

Vardis took point as Boundless began to swoop around the moon. The sheer size of it was humbling, and Alex couldn’t help but stare at it in awe as they circled it.

As they went around the moon, Alex was relieved to see that “far side” was much more accurate than “dark side.” She and her father had gotten into multiple arguments about what existed there, unseen by humanity.

Her father, being into conspiracy theories, believed there were alien bases on the part of the moon that was cloaked in darkness. Alex had tried to explain multiple times that the far side of the moon wasn’t dark. It just couldn’t be seen.

They had agreed to disagree. Alex was glad to see they were both right. That side of the moon definitely wasn’t dark, and if there wasn’t an alien base, there was a weapon hidden by an interdimensional being. That was pretty close.

Vardis led the team as they started to descend to the moon surface. Alex felt a little bit of gravity kicking in. That meant movement would be even more different than when they were flying in the void or in Earth’s gravity. It was something she was going to have to take into account.

They landed, and Alex dismounted. Her suit compensated for the low gravity on the moon and weighed her down. She’d never seen videos of the moon landing, but her father had explained to her how ridiculous everyone had looked hopping around. Thank God that wasn’t something she needed to stress about.

Vardis pointed at a massive crater Alex had seen when they had neared the surface. “There,” he said. “That’s where we’ll find it.”

Alex followed him, Chine right behind her with the rest of the dragonriders. “Why didn’t we just land at the crater?”

“I wanted to give myself enough space to be able to deactivate the defense system. It can’t be done from the above, only on the surface. An extra precaution.”

They got closer to the crater, and finally, Vardis held up his hand and stopped. A datapad fizzled—that was the only word that worked—into existence in his hand. It was a different type of physical disruption than when Myrddin conjured something into existence. Whatever Vardis did looked like a small hole had been torn in his palm, and something had bubbled out like the fizz of opening a soda.

Vardis swiped through a couple of options and then looked at the crater. “That should have done it.”

Gill came up behind Alex. “Which means that we are safe now?” he asked pointedly.

Vardis didn’t seem to note or mind the tone of Gill’s voice because he answered cheerfully enough, “Yes, we should all be safe now.”

“What do you mean ‘we?’”

“The defense system is set to attack, regardless of who enters. I will be in just as much danger as you if the system isn’t deactivated.”

Gill exchanged glances with Alex. Maybe they’d been wrong about Vardis. Either way, Alex was getting sick of the back and forth. If she wanted to deal with a lack of trust, she would have been a spy or something like that. All she wanted to do was know who the bad guys were and take care of them. Keep things simple. “Well, what are we waiting for?” she said.

She climbed back on top of Chine and Vardis led them to the crater, which was much larger than it had looked from space. It was easily the size of a small city block, jagged chunks of rock jutting into the sky, with ditches and scars the length of a football field. Something had torn into the moon’s surface. Alex hoped she never found out what it was.

As Chine stepped into the crater, the air around them shimmered. Alex almost didn’t notice it, and she was certain that if she’d had regular eyes, she wouldn’t have seen it. “Did any of you guys pick up on that?” she asked through the comm, glad Vardis wasn’t on the channel.

Most of the riders said no, but Gill agreed that he had noticed something. It had been slight, and he’d thought his eyes were playing a trick on him, but if Alex thought she had seen something too, they had.

Vardis had stopped walking and was staring at the sky. “Oh no,” he whispered.

Alex followed Vardis’ gaze. The shimmer she’d seen when crossing into the crater was spreading throughout the sky in the shape of a dome, stretching to the other side. “That doesn’t sound like a good ‘Oh no,’” Alex shouted at him.

The alien slowly turned to face Alex, his jaw slack, his eyes wide with fear. “The security system,” Vardis gasped. “It’s been tampered with. It’s still functional.”

Before Alex could ask what that meant for them, the sky lit up as if someone had set off fireworks. She could see rocks streaking across the sky, and they were coming straight for them. “Scatter!” she shouted.

Boundless went in five directions, each of them moving slower than they would have if their dragons had control. But it was enough, and they separated in time to avoid the boulders as they collided with the surface of the moon, throwing up dust and debris everywhere so that there was a veil obstructing everything.

A deep hum was coming from where the rocks had landed. There was something in the blast zone. “What the hell kind of defenses do you have!” Jim shouted at Vardis.

The alien was backing away, his eyes wide with terror. “Something horrible.”

As the dust settled, Alex narrowed her eyes, focusing to cut through the dust. She could see the rocks. There were three of them, and they were glowing a dull green, their surfaces pulsating as if they were egg sacs.

Then one of the boulders cracked, and something dark and wet slithered onto the ground. It looked almost like a snake, except it had hands and its tail was a stinger. The creature’s head was a misshapen mass of tendrils that gave the illusion they were stacked on top of each other, one over the other in a mess.

The rest of the rocks cracked as well, the same sort of creature slithering from the green afterbirth as the first began to swell, its soft skin growing harder until, still growing faster than naturally possible, its tendrils and its skin developed a rock-like look as its arms stretched out, claws ripping from its fingertips.

Boundless regrouped around Alex and Vardis, who was still in the grip of terror. “Vardis, what in the nine realms are those?” Brath shouted.

“Elder kin,” Vardis muttered. “Experiments of the gods from my realm. They… We must leave now. Otherwise, we are doomed.”

Alex couldn’t believe what was happening. “What are you talking about, ‘leave?’ We came here for the weapon!”

“If we leave before they notice us, they’ll be contained to the sphere. The weapon will be lost, but at least no one else will be able to retrieve it.”

Alex didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t sure if Vardis was right about anyone else being able to get the weapon.

And if the Dark One could get his hands on it, there was a chance he could use it against them. No, it was too risky. “Boundless, are you with me?” she shouted.

The team answered yes without hesitation.

“Good. We’re going for that weapon. If it means cutting those things down, so be it.”

Vardis stepped in front of Alex, panicked, waving his hands. “No, you don’t understand! These things are the stuff of gods! They’ll rip you apart!”

Alex had Chine gently push Vardis out of the way. “Our mission is to get the weapon.” Then she leaned forward, sending the dragon racing at the first creature as it turned its tendrilled head toward Boundless.

It rose into the sky, stretching out its long, craggy body. The thing moved as if it had no concept of gravity or perhaps even movement, contorting in bizarre ways as the rest of the monsters floated into the air.

For a second, Alex had the naïve idea that they wouldn’t attack. However, once the kin stretched out its hand, Alex felt stupid for entertaining the thought.

It was hard to tell what it was doing at first. Its vaguely humanoid hands made some sort of gesture, then a beam of green light shot out at Alex.

Alex leaned hard to the right, yanking on her anchor, barely managing to pull Chine out of the way. She hadn’t been expecting such a delay. On Middang3ard, that attack would have been nothing. She was really going to have to pay attention to what was going on.

Before she could formulate her next move, the creature was before her, its tendrils swirling as it looked into Alex’s eyes.

Her terror was immediate. It was a fear Alex had only experienced one other time, in the depths of the meteor. It was enough to suck the warmth out of her body. But it hadn’t broken her the last time. It wasn’t going to break her now. “Two to a kin,” Alex growled into her comm. “Vardis, you’re with me.”

Alex pulled her scythe from her anchor. She brought it down on the monster, whose body shifted out of reality for a second. When it phased back in, its rocky body wrapped around Chine, dragging him to the ground. Alex disengaged the gravity on her boots, jumped to the kin’s head, and slashed at it.

The blade of her scythe hit the creature and it pulled back, releasing the dragon. It stared at Alex for a few seconds as if surprised that anything would dare to attack it. Then Alex felt the terror again. This time, she realized she wasn’t afraid; the terror was radiating from it.

Jim and Jollies had linked up. Jollies was flying around the kin’s body, trying to shock it with Amber’s electrical jolts, but its skin seemed to be made of stone. There was no effect. Jim was sending flames at it but to no effect.

Brath and Gill weren’t faring any better. Furi had tackled the kin to the ground, while Gill was trying to use Timber’s rock elemental powers to cover it in stones thrown up from the moon’s surface. When the stones touched the creature, it phased out, then popped back in, the stones now part of its growing body.

Alex watched as her opponent doubled back, its body shifting in and out of reality. Its tendrils waved wildly like the hands of one driven mad, grasping for some meaning for their insanity.

Alex needed to figure out effective tactics fast. Otherwise, this fight was going to be over before it began.

Chapter Nine

The three kin took to the air. There was no warning before they detached from the dragonriders and floated up toward the stars, hovering ominously above. “What are they doing?” Alex shouted at Vardis.

The alien, who still hadn’t gotten himself together, stared up. “I have no idea,” he muttered.

Great, Alex thought. The only way she was going to ensure Boundless came out of this alive was to stop relying on Vardis. He was useless in this situation he had created. “Boundless, figure out what you have aboard your dragons to take these things out. There’s no way we were sent up here defenseless.”

Alex looked at her dragon anchor, scrolling through the augments that had been attached to Chine. None of them looked familiar, and she couldn’t tell what most of them did off the top of her head. All but one—she recognized an augment attached to Chine’s left arm. It was a gravity well.

Above, the creatures were charging some kind of weapon. An energy beam was brightening in the middle of the circle they had formed as if they were summoning it into existence. Alex wasn’t going to wait for that to happen. She also wasn’t going to storm into the fight without giving her team a heads up on what she was thinking about doing.

She readied the gravity well, interested to see what would happen in a place with less gravity than the last time she used it. “Okay, I hope that was enough time for you to figure out your augments. I’m going to disrupt the kin with a gravity attack. I’ll scatter them. After they split apart, we’re back to two on one. It must have been giving them a problem since they broke off for a group attack. We’re keeping them separate from each other, okay!”

The members of Boundless shouted their approval.

Alex yanked up hard on her anchor and sent Chine flying through the air. She reached to Chine’s left arm, accessing the gravity well and prepping it. Once she and her dragon got close enough, she fired the well.

The result was instantaneous. A large bubble about the size of a football, glowing brightly, shot toward the kin, landing in the middle of their circle. Then the well detonated, drawing all three of them forward with the sudden shift in gravity.

The creatures seemed to be caught off-guard by the attack, and they screeched as their bodies momentarily lost control. Alex took the opportunity to attack. Chine flew toward the monsters as Boundless prepared to launch their attacks.

Alex zoomed between the three kin, finding one to focus on. Chine tackled it, sending it careening away from the other two. He clamped down hard on its head.

The kin’s tendrils wrapped around Chine’s jaw, forcing it open. As Chine fought it, the kin grabbed the dragon by the throat and threw him to the ground.

Chine and Alex hit the ground with enough force to indent it. Before either of them could get back to their feet, the creature crashed into them, broadening the hole. If it weren’t for the reinforced gravity from the anchor, Alex would have been thrown from Chine, who was roaring in pain.

The gravity well wasn’t ready to be used again. Alex accessed the weapon on Chine’s right arm. A beam of energy created a sword, and she slashed it across the monster’s face.

The kin screeched and pulled back, shifting out of reality and appearing behind Alex. Before she could pull Chine around, it grabbed the dragon by the tail, hoisted him into the air, and slammed him into the ground again.

To Alex’s left, Jollies and Jim were struggling with their kin as well. Jollies had implemented an energy field she was trying to encase the creature in while Jim was sending bursts of flame at it. It hardly seemed to notice either attack.

After Jollies had the energy field established, she flew back a little way to catch her breath. The kin should be encased for a moment, enough time to give Jim and her time to regroup.

Yet the kin phased out, then appeared outside the energy field. It went straight for Jollies, who turned and ran, pushing Amber as fast as she could. Jim flew after it, firing an energy beam cannon that came out of his mech’s chest.

The kin merely shifted reality again, easily dodging the attack, then appearing behind Jim. Its tendrils wrapped around Jim’s mech. It dove toward the surface of the moon, dragging Jim with it as Furi and Timber flew overhead, firing gravity attacks at the kin they were fighting.

Furi latched onto the kin’s back with his claws, which began to heat up. Within seconds, Furi’s claws were on fire.

Like the rest of them, this one didn’t seem fazed by Furi’s attack. It rolled to the side, heading for the ground, scraping Furi off. Then it sped up, whipping around and launching a beam attack at Timber, who was barely able to evade it.

Vardis yelled over his comm, “They have a weak spot! If you fire at their joints, the place where stone meets stone, it should split them apart!”

Alex relayed the information to the rest of Boundless, irritated that Vardis had only just found the guts to speak. He still hadn’t joined the fight.

The gravity well was ready to be deployed again. So far, it had been Alex’s most useful weapon. She leaned forward, sending Chine sprinting across the ground. The kin followed the dragon. Suddenly, Alex pulled up on her anchor, stopping Chine on a dime, allowing the monster to pass over the two of them.

Alex hit the gravity well and sent it at the kin, aiming for the joint between the sections of rock that covered its body. As the gravity well pulled at the creature, tearing away chunks of rock, Alex drew her scythe and sent it flying into the kin’s joint.

At the same time, the rest of Boundless was trying to take advantage of the information they had just been given. Jim and Jollies had circled their kin, Jollies flying close and dropping electrical charges that attached to its joints while Jim distracted it by firing beams.

Brath and Gill were taking a different route. They were going for a contest of brute strength. Both Furi and Timber were on top of the kin, forcing it to the ground while the dragons tore at its joints, occasionally firing the ice beams attached to Timber’s shoulders. Once the ice formed, both dragons slashed at the creature’s weak spot.

Alex’s kin screeched as it rolled out of the sky and crashed to the ground, where it skidded until it was still. Not wanting to give it any chance to get back up, Alex selected the plasma beams attached to Chine’s shoulders. She fired at the kin’s joints right below its head.

The plasma beam cut through, severing the head. “Yes!” she shouted.

Chine’s voice rang through Alex’s head a second later. Wait! It is not time to celebrate yet.

The tendrils stretched out and reattached the head to the body. Then it phased out of existence and reappeared behind Alex and Chine, and its tendrils hit the girl in the chest.

The air went out of Alex’s lungs as she tried to hold onto Chine. The kin was too strong. She went flying off Chine’s back as the monster wrapped more tendrils around Chine’s body, trying to choke the dragon to death.

Alex hit the ground, skidding across and smashing her head against a rock. She stumbled to her feet, trying to keep from passing out. When she took a step forward, the creature phased into existence in front of her. It swiped at Alex with its claws, sending her flying again.

It reappeared above Alex and drove its claws into the ground, slamming her into the rock, then lowered its tendrilled head down to her still body as if to absorb her.

Alex groggily stared up into the tendrils that descended upon her in all their eldritch horror.

Before the tendrils could touch Alex, Chine tackled the kin from the right, sending the creature flying. Then he scooped Alex onto his back.

As Alex started to come to, she looked up. The same was happening to the rest of Boundless. They were unable to keep up. They all realized that the combination of such powerful enemies and being ill-prepared was resulting in a desperate situation, almost as if they had been set up. “We’re not going to win this,” Alex whispered.

Not through conventional means, Chine answered. But there is a way.

How? What are you talking about?

We use the gravity well to trap all the kin. Then I unleash my ether flames.

Alex leaned forward and rested her hand on the back of Chine’s neck. That would—

Chine interrupted her. Yes. It would detonate my breathing apparatus. I would die. You might too. But it would destroy the kin for sure. There is nothing in any dimension that can survive the pure flames of black ether, and they would be unable to escape if we used the gravity well.

Alex chuckled morbidly. You know, you have a habit of suggesting suicide as a way to achieve victory.

Our friends will live through our sacrifice, and the weapon will be retrieved.

Alex checked the status of the gravity well. It was ready to be deployed. You don’t have to convince me. If all of us die here, no one’s getting this weapon. Let’s finish this.

Alex had stared death in the face on the meteor with the Dark One. Back then, it had seemed like the most frightening thing in the world. Now, she was confused as to why she was so dull and hollow inside. Her life was about to be over, and all she could feel was faint resignation.

Maybe it’s because you feel like this could have been avoided, she thought. No, that’s not going to help right now. Not at all.

Alex hit her comm, patching to the rest of the dragonriders. “Riders, I want you to get away from your kin. Head toward me. You need to start putting distance between them and you.”

Jim was the first one to speak. “Wait, what are you thinking about?”

“That’s an order! Now get moving!”

Alex didn’t wait to hear if Boundless disagreed. She fired energy at her kin to get its attention and then headed for the other two, charging the gravity well as she went. If this was going to be her and Chine’s last attack, she figured it wouldn’t hurt to dump all her anchor’s energy into the well. The more, the better.

Ahead, the riders were doing exactly what Alex had told them to. They had caught the attention of their kin and were racing toward Alex.

Jollies and Jim passed her, Jim watching her as he went by. Alex wished she could have said more. Next were Brath and Gill. They both glanced at Alex, and she could see they knew what she was planning on doing.

Once the riders were out of the way, Alex activated the gravity well, aiming it at the two kin in front of her. As it fired, she pulled another scythe from her anchor and tossed it into the tendrilled mess that was the kin behind her.

The one following Alex sped up and hit both her and Chine, sending them into the gravity well as it exploded, creating a gravitational vortex that pulled all three monsters plus Alex and Chine into it.

They all went swirling around, Alex hardly able to tell where she and Chine began and the kin ended. “Are you ready for this?” the dragon asked.

Alex clenched her fist, feeling the draconic fluid boiling in her anchor. She slammed her fist to her chest, setting herself aflame as she drew her scythe again. Torch ‘em, Chine, she sent as she leaped into the gravitational well, heading for one of the kin.

Chine let loose a torrent of ether flames. She’d only ever seen Chine use the attack from above, never this close. Beautiful black flames shot from his jaws.

The flames whirled through the gravitational vortex, converting the spinning bodies into a flaming tornado that stretched up to the sky. Alex could hear the kin screaming. She could distantly tell that she and Chine were screaming as well.

Alex hit the ground before she realized what had happened. Chine was above her. He was badly burned but still on his feet, though he was struggling to breathe.

The vortex of flames surrounded them. They were in the eye of the storm.

Alex walked over to look Chine in the eye. She collapsed in front of him, and he picked her up. They stared at each other, neither capable of speaking, the little oxygen they had left fading from their lungs.

Above, in the ether flames, there was a spark of green light that erupted, changing the black flames to a sickly green.

Rider and dragon looked up at the green. It filled Alex with horror. And in the midst of that horror, Alex realized she was not ready to die, and she wasn’t ready to watch Chine die either.

Alex ripped off her dragon anchor and tossed it to the ground. Her body erupted into flames, their black aura covering her, and she plunged her hand deep into Chine’s body, tearing through his scales, straight to the hot draconic fluid that filled him.

The black flames around Alex grew stronger, covering both her and Chine, shooting up into the now-green vortex. Then there was only black.

Chapter Ten

She was in a blank place that held neither time nor space nor gravity. It was at once flat and filled with depth. Her feet were wet, and when she looked down at the water, it was pale green, as if it were a parody of life.

Calling. She was calling or screaming, but the intention was true. Someone had to find her. This wasn’t where she was meant to be.

Chine was somewhere. His voice was loud but far away.

Alex took off running. She didn’t know how or to where but she sprinted into the blank whiteness that stretched farther than her eyes could comprehend. The only sounds in this flattened non-reality were her footsteps and those of Chine, invisible somewhere in the whiteness.

Then the color shifted. Alex could see there was a deep-red sky, with black clouds filled with lightning. Everything else was a sickly green that crept into Alex’s mind as she tried to focus on Chine’s voice in her head.

Dustling. Dustling.

Alex was sinking in the water. She struggled as it sucked her down. There was nothing to hold onto, nothing to breathe.

She shot out of the water into dryness and leaned forward, retching. Something slid out of her throat. When she looked down, it appeared to be a small snake, but instead of a snake’s head, it was hers, eyes cracked and red, tongue lolling out like a tired dog’s.

Alex slapped the obscene thing away as she stumbled to her feet, the world around her shifting and spinning. Chine’s voice was still somewhere in the madness, but now there was another—a louder voice coming from behind. She had no desire to find out what else was here and took off toward the dragon’s voice.

There was no measure for how long she ran, but she eventually came across Chine. The dragon was resting on a rock in the middle of a lake.

Alex swam out to him, and he picked up his head and stared at her. I wasn’t sure if you were here as well, he thought.

Alex climbed onto the island and looked around. Above, there were thousands of moons and thousands of planets clustered together in the shape of a question mark. Where are we? she asked.

Chine pointed to the question mark. Your guess is as good as mine. Someplace not too different than the meteor, I’m assuming.

Do you think we are dead?

Chine pressed his hand down into the ground he rested on, watching how it separated so he could touch the water. No, I do not think so. This is not what dragons who have passed through the veil and returned have described. This is something else. What, I do not know.

“It is not death,” a voice rang out.

Chine and Alex jumped to their feet. Walking on the water was the pale child wearing a deer-skull mask. As the child strode toward Alex and Chine, something rose from the water.

The thing was tied to a tree that stretched up and far out into the infinity of the sky, its branches bare and weary. It seemed to be a person, unlike anyone Alex had ever seen before. Its skin was alabaster-white, and Alex could see veins and blood and muscles moving beneath it.

The thing’s single eye was black, and she could not bring herself to look into its face. Its legs melded into the bark of the tree, its arms shaking as it coughed up black sludge and wailed in agony. Its torso pulled as if it were trying to escape from the tree. “Alex,” it growled.

The child continued walking, ignoring the monstrosity leering behind it. “Alex,” the child said. “I am so glad we found you. I’ve been trying to reach you for—”

Alex grabbed the kid, suddenly remembering everything that had happened in the meteor, everything she had tried to block out and forget. “What are you doing here? Is that him? You… We saved you! Why are you with him again?”

The child slipped from Alex’s grip without any obvious movement. “That? That is not the Dark One, only a shade. One of millions, much like me. And we were wrong. I can never get away from him. Not completely.”

Chine had maintained his calm, and he took Alex up in his hand as wildflowers sprouted across his scales. “Why have you brought us here?”

The child knelt in the water, watching his reflection. “I did not bring you here. This was a lucky coincidence. You both were near the veil and got caught up. It’s the only time I’ve been able to speak to you without Vardis listening in.”

Alex leaned over Chine’s claw. “Vardis? Why are you trying to avoid him?”

The thing hanging from the tree moaned loudly, its body convulsing as it shouted, “Liar! Liar!”

The child looked at the thing on the tree for a moment before turning back to Alex. “He is not to be trusted. You and I have the same aim—to rid ourselves of the Dark One. Vardis’ aim is less clear, but his means are false. The weapon he promised is not meant to destroy the Dark One. It is meant to destroy all of existence.”

At these words, the thing nailed to the tree with roots that stretched through the stale water began to speak in a language Alex had never heard before. It tried to hold itself upright but failed and its head collapsed into its chest, the tree sucking itself in as well.

Alex climbed out of Chine’s hand. “How can I trust you? Aren’t you just a piece of the Dark One? A piece that apparently can’t get away?”

The child stood up, its fingers still dripping from the lake. “The only way I will know release is through the Dark One’s death. All I can do is warn you. What you do with that warning is up to you.”

The child melted into water, leaving only the deer-skull mask.

Alex climbed back into Chine’s hand and curled into a ball. “I hate this so much.”

Chine opened his wings, flapped them twice, and rose.

As Chine flew into the brightness in the sky, Alex saw a green flash, and everything disappeared.

* * *

Alex woke up, gasping for air. All of Boundless surrounded her, Chine’s wings over them all. Jim grabbed Alex and held her tightly. “Oh, my God, we didn’t think you were going to make it!”

He helped Alex to her feet while Chine pulled his wings back to give Alex space to move. “What happened?”

The dragonriders looked at each other. “We don’t know,” Gill said. “We saw the flame vortex. In space. That shouldn’t be possible. It must have been magic, or something else. But whatever it was, once the flames died, we came through. Both you and Chine were covered in black fire. Chine’s breathing apparatus was broken, and we assumed yours was too. You were both unconscious. Then his came back online, and you woke up.”

Gill handed Alex her dragon anchor, and she slipped it back on. An alert said she was at a dangerous level of draconic fluid. “I-I think I used the draconic fluid without the anchor. Straight from Chine.”

“Maybe that was enough to jump-start the whole system. But who cares how it worked? You’re alive.”

As the dragonriders crowded around Alex, she saw Vardis walking toward them. He held a red rod in his hand, not very different from the black rods that had been used to disable the dragonrider’s anchors earlier. “So, you got your weapon?”

Vardis held it up for everyone to see. “Yes. We do.”

Alex reached out. “Give it to me so we can get going.”

Vardis halted, looking from the stone to Alex. “What do you mean?”

“Boundless was tasked with getting this. You were supposed to lead us to it. We’re the ones transporting it for safekeeping, so it should be with me, right?”

Vardis handed the rod to Alex. “That seems right.”

Alex took the weapon and her anchor absorbed it. She looked around the moon’s surface. “Let’s go. I’ve had enough of the moon for a lifetime.”

No one from Boundless disagreed, but Alex could see Vardis was still watching her as if he expected her to give the rod back. She didn’t, instead leaping onto Chine and rising into the sky.

Boundless swooped around the moon and headed for Earth. Alex wasn’t sure what the hell was going on, but she knew Myrddin needed the rod as soon as possible. He also had to hear what had happened.

Jim’s voice came over the comm. “Okay, guys, we have a real big problem. Incoming bogies—”

Before he could finish speaking, a portal opened a few thousand miles from Boundless. Vrosks and harpies flew out, followed by a black cloud that distorted space around it.

A deep voice screeched through Alex’s mind. Judging by the scream of her teammates over the comm, they all heard it as well.

“Alex Bound, you heard what my master said. Will you help me destroy the weapon, or will I have to kill you to keep it from destroying all of reality?”

There was silence as creatures poured out of the open portal.

Alex stared at the sheer number of creatures coming through the portal, at the mass of tendrils and tentacles stretching out. Something like a ship that seemed to be more flesh than machine was making its way through.

The portal grew, stretching to accommodate the living ship, a cylinder covered in all things that creep and crawl through the worst dreams humans could create. It was from a place beyond madness, and the voice was coming from it.

Alex stared into the blackness of space, quickly filling with dark creatures, and watched the tendrils of the Dark One extending toward her.

“I have come for you, Alex,” he said.

Alex could barely hear his voice over Boundless’ screams. The movies were wrong. You could hear screams in space.

Author Notes Ramy Vance

May 2, 2020

It finally happened. Dragons in space!

And that’s how this whole thing started to begin with. Michael had asked me what I wanted to write about and the first thought that came to mind was: Dragons in space.

Damn… I just love saying that: Dragons in space. It doesn’t get old. And seeing the wide image of this just blows me away. Jake Caleb – the cover designer for ALL the Middang3ard books – really broke the mold with this one.

As soon as lockdown is over (we’re in the throes of Covid-19 for those of you reading this down the line), I’m going to print shop and turning this into a poster for my wall!

Which brings me to my next point – would you also like a high-rez image to make your own poster? Well here you go, loyal fans!

CLICK HERE to get the image

You don’t have to do this, but we’d really appreciate if you helped us get the word out about the series. Post the image on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram – you’re local community board. Add #DragonsinSpace on the post and a link to Book 1 in the series. You’d be doing us – and Team Boundless – a solid!

Thank you!

And thank you, Michael Anderle! We did it. 10 months and 9 novellas later, we did it!

Dragons in friggin’ space!

Author Notes Michael Anderle

May 3, 2020

THANK YOU for reading our story!

We have a few of these planned, but we don’t know if we should continue writing and publishing without your input.

Options include leaving a review, reaching out on Facebook to let us know, and smoke signals.

Frankly, smoke signals might get misconstrued as low hanging clouds, so you might want to nix that idea…

And that’s how this whole thing started.

Ramy’s author notes: “Michael had asked me what I wanted to write about, and the first thought that came to mind was: dragons in space.”

Now, dragons in space are cool. Dragons are cool. You could put dragons in the frozen tundra, and I’m going to think “cool.”

But, Dragons in ‘xxx’ is like peanut butter and chocolate. Unfortunately, Ramy tried his next idea on me, which was “Samurai vs. Vampires.” I had to say no. He continued to pepper me with efforts to persuade me. I said no again.

I might have said, “Hell, no.”

Instead of trying to push the effort, I think he implemented a guerrilla warfare tactic and started peppering my virtual office with sexy gnome concepts. He even put my video images to Amazon sexy gnome products.

I finally figured out his deviant plan. He is trying to get me to be so disgusted with his next few ideas that samurai and vampires seem plausible in comparison.

Sorry, Ramy, the answer (for anything gnome) and the Samurai / Vampire options are a hard…

No.

Keep trying, Mr. Vance.

Ad Aeternitatem,

Michael Anderle

The Beginning of the End

Dragon Approved™ Book Eleven

Chapter One

Alex stared in horror at the yawning portal resting above the Earth, from which emerged an ensemble of horrors. Vrosks with their mangy feathers, bizarre technological experiments hanging from the creature’s beaks. A ship that stretched back into the portal, a horrid thing that looked to be made of flesh, covered in windows that might have been its eyes. Tendrils adorned its bow as if it were some perverse squid shot out into the dark, uncaring black of space.

The dragonriders had stopped in their tracks. They couldn’t move forward, not after having seen the abominations crossing into their plane of existence. All they could do was stare in growing terror, a terror that was radiating from that ship as if it had been weaponized. “What the hell is that thing?” Brath shouted.

Alex would have answered, but she felt like her head was splitting open. A familiar voice had wormed its way into her head—the Dark One. He had spoken to her once before, aboard the meteor. Now he was speaking again. A few moments earlier, he had told her that Vardis was not to be trusted. Since then, Alex’s head had been full of white noise, a meandering sort of thought. “It’s the Dark One,” she finally managed.

Gill, who was flying beside Alex and Chine, whirled around to meet Alex’s eyes. She could see fear in them. “Wait, are you saying the Dark One?” he asked. “Aboard the ship?”

Alex nodded, certain for reasons she couldn’t put into words that the Dark One was aboard that ship. Not one of the different incarnations like the pale white child; the real deal was on that ship, and he’d come for Alex.

“Alex, what’s the plan?”

She couldn’t tell who had asked. Everyone seemed far away at the moment. Her head was pounding, and she was having a hard time putting her thoughts together. If she had any thoughts. She wasn’t certain what she was doing so far above the Earth.

The dragonriders sat there dumbly as the Dark One’s forces continued to pour out of the portal like a foul oil spill across the ocean.

Brath’s voice rang out over the comm. “We need to move now!” he shouted. “Everyone on me! Someone wrangle Alex!”

Gill and Jim spun around Alex so that they could force her backward, away from the portal opening.

Whatever was affecting Alex was affecting Chine as well. The dragon’s joints were locked as if he had been scared motionless. If the two hadn’t been breathing, it would have been easy to assume they were dead.

Jim, Gill, Jollies, and Vardis followed Brath as he retreated toward the far side of the moon, but he didn’t stop there. He headed toward an asteroid field beyond it. He set down on one of the asteroids, and the dragonriders descended beside him.

Brath leaped off Furi and came over to Alex, who was muttering to herself, holding her head in her hands. “Hey! Alex?” he shouted.

Alex looked up, hardly able to keep her eyes on him. They kept moving back and forth as if she were looking for something. She could see Brath, but something about him being in front of her didn’t make any sense.

The white noise was still drumming in the back of her head. Suddenly, it surged to a crescendo, hitting a fever pitch as a voice screamed, “Alex!”

Alex twitched violently as if she had been shocked and jerked upward. Her body relaxed as she stared into space, trying to make sense of the vague waves of information pouring through her head from the Dark One’s ship.

Jollies flew to Alex and tugged on her cheek, to no avail. “Is she going to be okay?” the pixie asked the assembled crew.

Brath looked over his shoulder to see if the Dark One’s forces had followed them. “I have no idea, but we can’t wait for her to stop freaking out to figure out what to do. Otherwise, we’re all going to end up dead.”

Gill, who had knelt beside Alex, asked Brath, “What do you think we should do?”

“We can’t risk a head-on fight. We’re way outnumbered. If we charge them, we’re just going to end up dead.”

“Astute observation. We could hide.”

The asteroids would make a reasonable hiding place. The field looked to be too densely populated for the Dark One’s flagship to follow them in. The vrosks would have the ability to weave in and out of the asteroids, but so would the dragonriders. That would at least put them all on the same playing field.

Figuring out what to do was the most important thing. Luckily, Alex had never been much of the planner until recently. Everyone in Boundless was used to making decisions. “If we hide here, we could be easily overrun,” Jollies squeaked. “We can’t just stay still.”

Gill paced as he tried to think of something. “We could all take different positions,” he suggested, pointing to three different spots that formed a triangle. “We could attack from above and below, cutting out some of the vrosks. We still won’t have to deal with the ship. Once we get the numbers down, we can funnel them to a kill spot.”

Jim had exited his mech and now was walking up the asteroid, checking for different vantage points. “That’s not a bad idea. We could have the heavy hitters down here, pounding them with artillery, and two lighter Riders up at the top.”

Boundless was in survival mode. There was no way they were going to be able to outrun the forces they had seen coming through the portal, and there could be more.

Jollies pointed to an asteroid off to the left, and she and Amber headed toward it. Gill did the same. Brath and Jim stayed behind with Alex, who was starting to come out of the fog of the Dark One’s influence. “He’s here!” Alex muttered as she tried to get to her feet. “He’s actually here.”

Jim helped Alex get up and held her steady as she stumbled. “Don’t you hear him?” she asked, her eyes wide and frantic. “Can’t you hear him?”

“I don’t hear anything,” Jim told her.

Suddenly, Alex fell to her knees, gripping her skull as she screamed, “He’s in my head! He’s in my head!”

Brath and Jim exchanged glances, neither of them knowing what to do in the situation. They could tell Alex was in pain but didn’t know how to help. “Chine, is there anything you can do?” Jim asked the dragon.

Chine didn’t respond. His eyes had rolled back in his head and smoke was coming from his nostrils, but he paid no attention to the human or the gnome. “Guess we gotta figure this one out on our own,” Brath muttered.

Jim guided Alex over to Chine and sat her down by the dragon’s feet. “She’ll come out of it,” the mech rider said. “Something like this happened on the meteor. She’s linked to the Dark One. I don’t know how, but it happened. They went into some kind of vision or alternate reality. It’s hard to understand, but the two of them are linked.”

“Like her and Vardis.”

Jim glanced at the alien, who was standing away from everyone else as if he were waiting for something. “Yeah,” Jim said slowly. “Like with Vardis.”

Brath grimaced. “Your girlfriend seems like she’s been getting the raw end of everything. Lucky she’s so tough.”

“She’s not my—”

The gnome shrugged. “You stay close to her. I’ll move up and take point. Furi should be able to handle whatever comes this way. Just make sure nothing happens to her.”

Brath walked toward Furi and leaped onto his back, leaving Jim there with Alex, who could barely comprehend what was going on around her. If she had been aware, she wouldn’t have believed the amount of respect Brath had shown toward her, but that was most likely why Brath had said it. He knew Alex wouldn’t hear.

Jim got back into his mech, bringing it around to Alex and Chine and preparing for the vrosks that were going to come through the asteroids at any minute. He was trembling, staring at the stars and asteroids around him.

Alex watched all of this happening, feeling as if she were both present and someplace far away. The Dark One’s voice was still ringing in her ears, although now it made less sense. She couldn’t tell if he was speaking to her or if she was merely hearing whatever constituted his thoughts.

Chine stretched his wing over Alex as he curled into a ball, pulling her closer to him. Alex was glad the dragon was here with her. Even though she didn’t know specifically what he was doing, she could feel him fighting something off. Maybe he was the only reason she wasn’t going insane.

The rest of Boundless was secured in their positions. Now they were simply waiting. Silence and tense nerves as the vrosks and whatever else could have come from that portal were heading toward them. “Anybody know a good joke?” Jollies finally asked.

Brath was scratching the back of Furi’s neck, trying to soothe the dragon, who was just as stressed as everyone else. “One that pixies would find funny?” he asked. “Is it even a joke? You all laugh at just about anything.”

“Then it shouldn’t be hard for you to think of one, right?”

Gill and Jim snickered over the comm, and Brath turned nearly as red as his beard. “Okay, I got one,” Brath said. “A gnome and a drow walk into a bar. The bartender asks, ‘What will you two be having?’ The gnome says, ‘Whatever you got on the menu.’ The bartender turns to the drow and asks, ‘What about you?’ The drow leans over the bar and says, ‘Your finest stones.’”

Nobody laughed. The silence grew thicker and thicker. “Uh, I think jokes are supposed to be funny,” Jim teased.

Brath shouted, “Gnomes don’t do humor, all right!”

Gill was snickering, barely able to manage, “It’s kinda impressive. You managed to say something a pixie didn’t think was funny.”

Amber set off a small electrical pulse and Jollies quipped, “You’re right. There was nothing funny about that.”

“Gnomes don’t tell jokes!” Brath shouted again. “Wait, hold up, guys. I think they’re coming.”

Boundless looked at the stars, which were twinkling like lost dreams. In the distance, they could see the vrosks massing. The attack was beginning.

The dragonriders readied their weapons. This was going to be a fight worth remembering—if they survived.

Chapter Two

Jollies and Gill headed toward their positions, leaving Jim and Brath on the asteroid with Alex, waiting for the Dark One’s forces to make it to them. Jim hovered over Alex as she slipped in and out of consciousness. Whatever was happening was getting worse.

Brath didn’t know what to do. He felt completely unprepared for the situation. Even though he had started everyone talking about a plan, he’d been surprised to hear himself speak. Giving orders wasn’t his thing. It wasn’t that he liked following them. Responsibility wasn’t his thing either.

That didn’t matter at the moment. All of the Riders were responsible for Alex. She’d placed her life on the line way too many times for them to let anything happen to her. The only reason any of them were still alive was because of her.

Alex screamed again, and Brath wished it was true that no one could hear you scream in space. She sounded like she was in pain, and it was very obvious that there was nothing any of them could do about it.

Vardis was standing far from the rest of the group. He was staring at the moon as if he could see something.

Brath had to fight the urge to walk up behind Vardis, pull him down, and beat the living snot out of him. He didn’t trust the guy. The whole situation with the kin attacking them had been ridiculous. What was supposed to be a simple mission had turned into a disaster, and Vardis was possibly responsible for it.

Maybe he’s working with the Dark One, Brath thought. This could have all just been an orchestrated double-cross.

As Brath watched Vardis, that possibility seemed less likely. If Vardis was working with the Dark One, then why was he still with Boundless? He should have bounced as soon as the Dark One’s forces had shown up.

Brath didn’t even want to think about the amount of firepower they were going to be up against. It was hard for him to fathom that the Dark One had come to the battle in person. Actually, it was horrifying. All of the nine realms had been fighting this guy’s armor, and almost no one had ever seen or heard him. Except on the gnome world.

The memories came faster than Brath was prepared for. The smell of burning flesh, the screams that never ended, that seemed to stretch across the entire planet. Weeks without food, scouring in the forest like animals being hunted.

Gnomes had seen the Dark One. Many of them were now dead. Brath was lucky to have escaped when the gnomish world fell, but others hadn’t been as lucky. Not the ones who had seen the Dark One’s face.

Stories had been shared between survivors. Brath never talked about his own. No one needed to know what had made him an orphan. But he listened to everyone else’s tales. He’d memorized them, carved them into his heart. He internalized the pain of every gnome he met and swore revenge.

One gnome he remembered, not much older than him, had spoken about how she had seen the Dark One’s actual face. She’d been part of the early resistance that had fought when the Dark One’s first ships touched down on the planet. Her squad had been mostly wiped out. The rest had been captured.

She said she’d been brought into a throne room, and that was where she had seen him. His face never rested, like it was made of black water, constantly shifting and changing. Sometimes it was the face of a friend. Other times it was her own. Then it would become something much worse—a deep emptiness that sent her spiraling into madness for weeks to come.

No one ever asked the gnome how she’d escaped. You could see in her eyes that whatever she had done was not something she would forget. When it came to refugees, sometimes it was best to leave it at that. If someone talked, they might start crying. Opening wounds was always a painful process.

As Brath stared up at space, following Vardis’ line of sight, he had to admit to himself he was curious to see the Dark One’s face. Not that he took it lightly. But the curiosity was there. The face of the creature that was wiping out entire civilizations, a monster from another hellish dimension. Who wouldn’t be a little curious?

Though it was much more than curiosity. Brath felt like he had to stare into the Dark One’s face, to see what kind of madness really dwelled within that dark face. Would he be strong enough to look away, to hold on to his sanity? If he wasn’t, was he strong enough to even be fighting in this war? If you couldn’t look your enemy in the eye, were you even a warrior?

Alex screamed again, her pain ringing out in the darkness of space. Brath wished there was something to do, but Alex stopped screaming soon enough. Now she was only muttering in a fitful sleep. Brath hoped Jim would be able to concentrate on the fighting and ignore the state Alex was in. Humans were usually too emotional.

Brath knew Jim would be able to handle it, though. He’d watched the mech rider and Alex. They were strong. Resilient even by gnomish standards. Alex would be able to pull through. Brath had no doubt about it.

* * *

Jollies had found where she was going to camp out until the attack began. She’d located a small cluster of asteroids that were much larger than the rest. They would provide her with ample cover to avoid a direct attack. She was also practicing guiding Amber through the maze of asteroids.

If the situation hadn’t been so dire, Jollies would have wanted to spend more time flying through the asteroids. Pushing herself and her dragon. Pushing her skills as a rider.

An unspoken secret of the Nest was what was often said about Jollies. She was one of the smallest riders, smaller than any of the other pixies, but she was easily the fastest. It took skill to ride that fast.

Speed wasn’t something you just pushed yourself for. Speed took lightning-fast reflexes. It took the ability to process thousands of different things at once, and she and Amber worked together like a finely tuned precision engine. In action, they were a sight to behold, but that wasn’t often seen. Most people couldn’t track her. She was that fast.

Everything processed faster. Fear was usually the first to go, then worry, then back to fear, but faster than before. Always ending in anticipation.

The pixie didn’t like to fight anything other than herself, and there was always something to be improved in her riding. She wouldn’t be satisfied until it was perfect, and each battle was a test. Each victory honed her blade.

That was what she told herself, at least. The only alternative was to think about Alex, and she wasn’t going to do that right now. That wouldn’t help her. She knew Alex needed her right now, needed all of them, and that was that.

Once she started thinking, she was going to start feeling…and that was going to be distracting.

Her skin heated up as she fluctuated between colors in quick succession. Now that no one was around, she wasn’t focused on maintaining her composure. Each emotion brought a new color. She let herself cycle through them, trying to focus and think about what was ahead.

She watched Brath pacing from afar, barely able to make him out. Hopefully she and Gill weren’t too spread out. There had to be just the right amount of space for the vrosks to get thrown off. If they were too close, the vrosks would just come after them. But at just the right distance, the vrosks would have to choose between attacking her and Gill or descending and going after Brath and Jim.

Nothing can happen to Alex. I’ll never get over it if she doesn’t make it through this. Gods, her parents would be heartbroken. I’ll be heartbroken. She’s such a strong person, probably the strongest I’ve ever met, and she’s made me a stronger person. Gods, this can’t be happening. It’s okay, I’ll be there for her. We’re all going to be. We can handle this.

Jollies’ brain continued to rattle off worst-case scenarios as she tried to rein herself in a little bit. Not too much, though. Her emotions were her lifeblood. If she couldn’t experience them, she was nothing. No pixie was. She’d simply die.

But she wasn’t going to let those emotions get sloppy. Pixies learned a simple adage from a young age: You are your feelings, and you are not your feelings. It was a paradox all pixies lived by. Let them come and let them go.

She was going to cycle through them all again once the fight got started.

* * *

Gill was getting settled into his position. Timber’s weapons were beginning to charge, and there was still some time before the Dark One’s forces were going to begin their attack. This was where Gill felt the most comfortable—the calm before the storm.

The drow watched distant stars twinkling, their life force gone thousands and millions of years before he had existed. Even with a battle looming ahead of him, Gill could not ignore the vast beauty he was experiencing at this moment.

Few drow ever saw anything above the surface. They spent their lives underground, toiling for purposes that many of them weren’t even certain of. It was the system Gill had been raised in. His parents had never seen the surface. Neither had his grandparents. He wasn’t certain if anyone in his family ever had.

If Gill had been the kind of person to speak much, he would have gushed about how beautiful the blackness of space was, how close to the darkness he had grown up in it was. The infinite blackness seemed more like home than anything he’d ever seen in Middang3ard, and he was more than happy to enjoy these moments alone.

It was not that Gill didn’t take the battle that awaited him seriously. He knew these might be his last living moments. But he also knew that was how every battle was and would be. Acknowledging that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy these small moments for what they were.

Beauty came in many forms; that was something he’d learned from his time underground, and even more so since he’d come above ground, out of the Underdark. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder. Some eyes had enough light to see certain things. Others were so blinded by that light that they couldn’t see others.

Gill ran his hand over Timber’s scales, soothing the dragon. They were both in a new environment, a place neither of them understood well. Not just the two of them, but all of Boundless was experiencing something completely outside their understanding.

As Gill pondered, he looked up and saw the massing of the vrosks above him. Even their desire for destruction could be beautiful, Gill thought. In this darkness, even that could be beautiful.

Chapter Three

Jim was hauling Alex into his mech while Gill shouted that the battle was beginning. He didn’t know what to do about Chine, but Brath was already moving Furi closer to defend the dragon. Hopefully, it wasn’t going to come to that. Gill’s and Brath’s plan could work, but if it failed, they were all going to find out how terrible the Dark One was.

The back of Jim’s mech popped open, and he placed Alex inside gently. She hardly stirred. Whatever the Dark One was doing to her was getting worse by the second. Jim wished there was something he could do, but he had no idea what was going on. The only way he could make himself helpful was by fighting. Maybe Alex would snap out of it by then.

Jim jumped into the mech and took a deep breath, pulling up his HUD, scanning for enemies and trying to figure out where they were going to come from. He had a bad case of nerves—something about having Alex in the cockpit with him. He wondered if she would feel the same way about him being on Chine’s back with her.

He doubted his pre-battle ritual was going to bother her, or if she was even going to notice. Jim hoped there was a signal out here in space. There had to be. He still had a comm link and updates from the Nest, so this wouldn’t be a problem.

He looked over his shoulder at Alex again. She was still muttering under her breath in a language Jim couldn’t quite put his finger on. It was extremely creepy and unsettling, and he was more worried for Alex than he’d ever been for anyone in his entire life. But that wasn’t going to help. Getting his head in the game would.

Jim pulled up his playlist, aptly titled The Best Funk and Disco the World has Ever Known. He cranked up the volume, letting the choppy guitar cut in and out, the trumpets coming next as Diana Ross’ voice came over the speakers, as clear as if Jim were listening to it live.

His right foot tapped along with the beat as he pulled on his seatbelt, checking again to see if Alex had registered the music. He had kinda been hoping the disco would pull her out of her state, but there was hardly any change. She was quieter than before.

Boogie Wonderland was the next song up. Jim could feel his shoulder twitch in time with the music. Anytime he put on this playlist, his body started to move on its own. It was the only thing he listened to when he flew, ever since he played VR. He used to leave one earbud under the headset.

Now it was second nature. If the mech was on, the funk was on. He’d even thought about getting a small disco ball when they had been on Earth.

All of those things seemed distant now. Childish to be worried about someone listening to him grooving while Alex was in the back of the mech fighting for her life. If she was watching him, she would probably be laughing her ass off.

Jim powered up the mech’s thrusters. He wondered if he should have been up there among the asteroids instead of Gill. The lack of gravity hadn’t affected Jim’s piloting skills at all. His mech had been designed to operate in space. It might have made more sense to have a rider who was able to move freely.

Planning had never been Jim’s strength. When he and Alex used to play VR together, their idea of a plan was…vague at best, but somehow, they always got through it. Jim reminded himself of that right now. They always got through it.

As he was coaching himself through his thoughts, he saw the first indication that the vrosks were coming through. Gill was firing up ahead. Jim wasn’t sure what he was shooting at. It must have been one of the weapons the dragons had been outfitted with to make up for their lack of flames.

Then he saw the vrosks, more than Boundless had anticipated. Enough to make him take a deep breath and think they were going to need a better plan. But then the funk came back to him.

Two cylindrical tubes came out from the middle of the cockpit, which were coated with a cold gel. Jim plunged his hands into the tubes, his suit connecting his nerves to the mech, allowing him a great deal of control.

Another reason Jim was nervous about Alex seeing him pilot his mech was that things were going to look a little bit weird.

Jim leaned forward as two more tubes pushed up from the bottom of the cockpit, connecting his legs to the mech.

This was the way the newer models worked. Total body immersion was the eventual goal. The mechs were always being updated with new neural networks and a host of other things Jim was not really able to understand.

What he did understand was the feeling of piloting. Every iteration made the distinction between man and machine slimmer. Jim wouldn’t be surprised if eventually, he wasn’t able to tell where the mech began and ended.

The neural link went live and Jim pressed his face to his HUD that wrapped around his face, letting him see as if he were actually looking out of the mech. And now for the weird part, Jim thought as the back neural transmitter came out from Jim’s chair—a wide, sponge-like pad covered in a slimy, sticky substance that sparked when it attached itself to the back of Jim’s neck.

Now he was completely connected.

Jim turned the mech’s head up to get a better look at the vrosks that were pouring into the asteroid field. Gill was lighting them up from above, and Jim could see Jollies flying in and out of the pack. Bodies were starting to fall. “Maybe we can do this,” Jim muttered to himself.

Brath was at Jim’s side, getting ready to start their part of the plan. Jim was glad it was Brath down here with him. Furi had some major firepower in the form of his flames and, even though that wasn’t an option, Brath had loaded equivalent augments.

Some of the vrosks started to try to move away from the area Gill was firing from. They went straight down, just like the Boundless had assumed they were going to.

Jim lined up his first shot. He wanted to start this off with a bang, letting those vrosks know he meant business. His machine gun had been practically useless against the kin, and he didn’t want to risk the same thing here.

A gun-lance swung out of Jim’s mech’s side, a long rifle-like weapon that used an extremely powerful plasma-charged blast for pinpoint accuracy.

Jim took aim at a vrosk and fired.

The gun-lance heated up, charged the bolt, and then fired. The shot tore through the vrosks, taking at least three down as it found its intended target. Then the bolt exploded, sending plasma flying at the vrosks unlucky enough to be nearby.

Jim lined up another shot as a group of vrosks started downward at the asteroid Brath and Jim were on. He fired again, splitting up the group of vrosks, but they quickly regrouped and continued closing in for the attack.

At Jim’s side, Furi stood up on his hind legs. The cannons on the dragon’s shoulder pulled back, and what looked like two steel dragon claws took their place. The claws started to glow, a ring of pure energy forming on each of them, spinning until they flew toward at the vrosks. They cut through body after body until they returned to Brath like boomerangs.

Jim laughed. He wouldn’t have thought Brath would choose something so creative.

There were still way too many vrosks heading toward Jim and Brath. He decided the herd needed to be thinned, so he stood up in his mech and hit his thrusters and flew at the vrosks. He pulled in his lance-gun and heated up his energy claws.

There were a lot of vrosks, but it didn’t look like they felt comfortable flying in space. Some of them were wielding magical staffs, others had plasmas rifles. The rifles didn’t concern Jim very much. The plasma blasts operated the same in space as they would anywhere else. The magical staffs were a whole other question.

One of the vrosks prepared to answer that very question. As it got closer, its staff began to glow bright red, and it launched a fireball at his mech.

Jim banked hard to the left, giving himself enough room to avoid the blast as he slammed into another vrosk. He drove his claws through its chest before hitting another with his sharpened wings, tearing it in half before firing his machine gun.

At this range, the machine gun was capable of doing real damage. As the vrosks tried to get their bearings, Jim took advantage of his superior flying ability. He whipped around the group, putting a good distance between them before lowering his gun lance again. He was close enough that he didn’t have to aim. He charged it and fired two blasts.

The blasts ripped through the vrosks as Jim headed back toward where Brath was. Two of Brath’s energy rings whisked past him, slicing through those that were attempting to follow the mech. “Thanks for that!” Jim sent over the comm.

Brath gave him a thumbs-up as Furi launched a gravity well. His well worked differently than Chine’s. Rather than pulling everyone toward it, it did the opposite—shot out a gravitational field that pushed everything away in a giant explosion.

The result was that vrosks went flying away from the well as Brath’s energy rings zoomed around the battlefield, cutting through anything they got close to.

As Jim touched down, he called to Jollies, “Hey, how are you guys doing up there?”

The pixie replied, “There are a ton of these things, but I think we’re past the first volley. Gill said he can see more coming through. He thinks they’re coming in waves. Probably trying to tire us out.”

Above the mech, Jollies flew between a cluster of vrosks, dropping small electrical proximity mines as she went. She headed toward the blank space the vrosks had come from and lined the break in the asteroids with the same mines.

Jim’s tactical map updated, showing him where the mines were so he could avoid them.

From the back of the mech, Alex muttered, “Funnel them toward the mines. Front and back.”

Jim turned to see Alex sitting up, rubbing her head as she looked at the tactical display. “Holy crap, you’re okay!” he gasped.

Alex still looked ready to pass out. “I sure as hell don’t feel okay,” she muttered. “Also, you look ridiculous. Oh, and good music choice. The seventies never died, baby.”

Jim didn’t have time to be embarrassed and repeated what Alex had said to Jollies. Then he turned back to the rider and asked, “You’re not thinking about getting out there, are you?”

Alex shook her head as she leaned against the back of the mech. “There’s no way I could,” she answered. “I’ve been in and out. Like, I see what’s going on, but the Dark One is in my head. Kind of. Not like the telepathy Chine uses. This is different. He’s not reading my mind or anything. It’s more like he’s filling it. With himself.”

“Like back at the meteor.”

“Exactly. I just got back in contact with Chine, and he said it’s going to wear off soon. He’s already a lot better, but I’m going to need a minute.”

Above, the first wave of vrosks had been completely decimated. “Not to rush you, but you might have to hurry up. The next wave is coming soon, and we could use the extra firepower.”

Alex laughed before wincing in pain. “Really? Looks like you guys got everything covered. I might even be able to take a break.”

A huge explosion went off above Brath, Jim, and Alex. Another portal was opening near the barer side of the asteroid field. “Or not,” Alex muttered.

Chapter Four

This new portal was no different than the one that had brought the Dark One into her world. But it wasn’t vrosks coming through the portal this time. Ships very similar to the long-tendrilled thing that had appeared from the other portal were coming through. They weren’t nearly as long, and they didn’t have the hulking mass of tendrils, but they also seemed to be made from flesh, much like the Dark One’s ship.

The Dark One’s voice had subsided from Alex’s mind. She still wasn’t sure what she had been listening to. It was obvious it was his voice. She’d heard it before. But this time it was different. Not as concise. Almost rambling. His feelings. Fear.

Alex didn’t have the time to try to understand what the Dark One was afraid of. Obviously, it wasn’t the dragonriders. Not the four of them, at least. Maybe it was what they were trying to bring back. The weapon Vardis had promised.

The Dark One’s warning hung over Alex’s head, though. His warning of what Vardis’ weapon would actually do. This could easily have been a ploy. How did you trust someone who enslaved entire races? Mind games were assumed.

Alex was still getting used to being back in her body. She didn’t know where she had been before, but it was definitely not where she was now. Talking to Myrddin about what she experienced would be helpful. Hopefully, he’d be able to give her some kind of guidance.

But for now, there was a fleet of ships coming through a portal from another dimension, along with a horde of vrosks and two interdimensional beings, and it was obvious which one was trying to destroy reality.

Alex sat up in the back of the mech. “You need to let me out of here.”

Jim pulled his arms and head out of the neural connection, his eyes confused and wide. “Are you serious? You just woke up. You’re in no position to—”

“We need everyone on deck. You see what we’re up against. If I’m okay, Chine has to be too. We’re getting sky-ready. Let me out.”

Jim didn’t argue any further. He hit the lever for his cockpit, and it popped open.

Alex climbed out and said, “Thanks for taking care of me. And I’m not forgetting about the disco jams. Ever.” She leaped down and headed toward Chine, reaching out to him mentally.

Chine answered quickly enough, even if he sounded groggy. I assume we’re going to be joining the fight.

Alex ran over to Chine and leaped onto his back, looking at his scars and burns. I talked a big game, but if you can’t fight, we’re going to sit this one out.

Chine looked at the wounds on his arms and sighed heavily. I’ll live. But…

Alex didn’t need to be told twice. She plunged her dragon anchor into Chine’s spine, drawing out the draconic fluid that was no doubt burning through his skin.

As that was going on, she felt a wave of heat passing over her body. That had happened a few times since she’d absorbed the fluid into her anchor, but this time it was different. It didn’t hurt nearly as much. It was almost comforting. She looked down at her anchor, and the readings said she’d absorbed enough so that Chine wouldn’t be in any pain. “Let’s do this,” she said.

Alex pulled up on her anchor, feeling like she had more control over Chine than during the last battle they had been in. Maybe he was relaxing. Maybe she just had a better idea of what she was doing. It didn’t matter; the connection was there. It could be the binding, Alex thought, still very aware she didn’t understand what the binding really meant.

You didn’t have to know the details about something to know it worked, though. Alex’s dad could drive a car. Didn’t mean he knew anything about combustion. With that, Alex soared into the blackness of space. “Boundless, thanks for holding it down for me while I was out,” she shouted. “Let me know what’s going on.”

If any of her team was surprised by her being back on the battlefield, they didn’t let her know. Gill answered before anyone else. “We’ve been trying to funnel the vrosks down to Furi and Jim since they have the most firepower, but we weren’t prepared for the influx of forces. We could stick with the original plan, but it doesn’t take into account what the ships can do.”

Alex was watching the ships. They were small enough to be fighters, which made the most sense. That meant that they were going to be fast and mobile. The Dark One’s flagship was probably packing a lot of heat, but it couldn’t maneuver through the asteroid field. That was why it was hanging back.

Options were weighed quickly. “Jollies, I want you with me. Gill, keep doing what you can to get them to move toward Jim and Brath. We have enough firepower to deal with these guys. We just have to make sure we aren’t overwhelmed. If we keep our distance and spread them out like you were doing, we should be able to handle this.”

Brath interrupted Alex’s train of thought. His voice was surprisingly unnerved. “What about the Dark One’s ship?”

“We’ll worry about that when we have to.”

Alex scanned for Vardis, who turned around and met her eyes. His thoughts came through to her. I will be joining this battle as well.

Why the hell hadn’t he joined it before? Alex thought. Glad to hear you’ll be joining us, she sent, trying to keep her tone even.

“What should I do?”

From where Alex was standing, it didn’t seem like Vardis was capable of doing much. He hadn’t helped with the kin. All she had seen him do was fly and use his telepathy. “Whatever you can,” she finally told him. “But don’t endanger the weapon. I’d rather have you make it back to Earth with it than fight now.”

Vardis’ face hardened. “Nothing will happen to the weapon.”

“I’m going to hold you to that. If you’re going to help now, I’ll leave it at that.”

The portal above had finally closed. Whatever reinforcements the Dark One had sent for were here. Nothing else was coming through for the time being. Alex wondered if that was the extent of what the Dark One had at the moment. Maybe that was why he was so reliant on personnel from the other races of the nine realms.

Alex sped toward the fighter ships that had come through the portal. In her peripheral vision, she noticed Vardis leaping onto one of the asteroids. He wasn’t flying as he had done before, and it didn’t seem like the lack of gravity meant anything to him. He bounded from one asteroid to the next.

The asteroids posed a slight problem, but one Alex felt she was able to handle. She wove through them as she approached the bulk of vrosks, who had massed where the portal had closed. Gill shot out of his hiding place, heading toward her.

Three of the vrosks veered off from the rest. They were coming for Alex, but she wasn’t going to let them be the ones who brought the party.

Alex leaned forward with her anchor, driving Chine toward them as Gill came up on her side. “We can bust through and scatter them,” she suggested.

Chine fired a small explosive gravity attack, similar to a proximity mine. That reminded Alex of what she’d heard the team planning earlier. “Wait, Jollies already prepped for this!” she shouted.

Alex pulled up her tactical display and saw where Jollies had dropped the mines. “All right, we’re funneling them that way!”

Alex shot a small gravitational well ahead of the vrosks who were coming toward them. It exploded, pulling them in but fizzling out enough to give the vrosks the impression that they weren’t going to affect it too heavily.

The vrosks took the bait, along with all the others behind them. They flew after Alex and Gill, who headed toward the mines the vrosks had managed to miss by coming through their portal.

While Alex and Gill were handling the enemies in front of them, Jim and Brath were continuing to fire their artillery, taking care of the vrosks who had forgotten about them. They didn’t bother with the ships.

Vardis was standing on the edge of one of the asteroids, looking at the ships that had come through the portal. Suddenly, he let out a scream of rage, and an aura of golden fire surrounded him. He leaped toward one of the ships, landing on top of it.

The ship veered to the left, trying to shake Vardis, who held on regardless of the speed. Vardis raised his right hand, and it began glowing with energy. He gathered a ball of it in his hand and slammed it into the ship’s hull as the tendrils tried to wrap around him.

Vardis tore through the hull and grabbed the pilot, an orc whose skin seemed to be rotting off the bone. He flung him into the coldness of space.

The orc clasped his throat, trying to breathe, but quickly succumbed to the vacuum of space. His body drifted out into the darkness as Vardis leaped to the next ship. It barrel-rolled, trying to throw the alien off but failing miserably. Vardis pierced the hull with his hand again, this time causing the whole ship to explode as he leaped through the flames toward the next.

Alex watched the carnage Vardis was unleashing on the Dark One’s forces. To say she was surprised would have been an understatement. There was no way she could have known that Vardis was packing so much power.

Or rage. It was almost tangible, the anger and hatred coming off Vardis. It was so strong that both the vrosks and the dragonriders stopped for a second, watching the seething destruction Vardis deemed proper for the forces of the Dark One.

Alex took the chance to implement the second part of her plan. Jollies had done more than just set up mines around the initial perimeters. She’d set mines up on the other side of the asteroid belt as well. Alex fired two laser beams at the vrosks in front of her, catching them off-guard. Then she and Gill sped toward the last line of mines, swooping low to give Jim and Furi a chance to pick off any vrosks they could.

They fired a flurry of specially made space grenades that exploded on contact, and a weapon Brath was just unveiling now. Furi stood up on his hind legs, showing what looked like a harness across his chest. But the harness had a bulge in the middle, resting on his sternum.

The dragon roared loudly, and the bulge, which was molten metal, shot out at a remarkable speed and formed into multiple different projectiles. They maintained the same speed and density and tore through vrosks flying overhead.

The horde of vrosks had been noticeably thinned, and the rest were following Alex and Gill closely, firing their magical staffs. Alex and Gill wove in and out of the asteroids as Jollies showed up to provide backup, flying between the vrosks and electrocuting whichever wasn’t paying close enough attention.

Finally, Alex and Gill got to the mines. They swooped down into them and turned around to make themselves seem like better targets. Just in case the vrosks didn’t take the bait, Alex prepped another gravitational well and tossed it out.

The vrosks were already heading in, though. The gravity well went off and the vrosks were pulled toward the mines, which instantly detonated as Boundless flew out of the blast’s proximity.

They headed back toward Brath and Jim, who were prepping for the next wave of enemies. Vardis was still leaping from ship to ship. They couldn’t avoid him, no matter how fast they were.

The team sat down on the asteroid together and watched Vardis working. “Didn’t know he had it in him,” Jim muttered. “Didn’t seem like much of a fighter.”

Alex was watching the place the portal had opened. “No, I wouldn’t have thought so. We can’t do this all day, though. If the Dark One opens portal after portal, we’re gonna get tired. We need to retreat.”

No one disagreed. They had probably all been waiting to hear those words.

“We’re gonna move now before they send more reinforcements. Get the hell out of here while we still can.”

The plan was straightforward enough. There seemed to be a lag before another portal could open, and they were going to take advantage of that and hoof it straight back to the base. She was uncertain about whether the Dark One would give chase.

Brath thought it was a terrible idea. “You guys will end up like the gnome world. Maybe even worse. The Dark One never landed on our planet. Can you imagine the damage he could do?”

“I don’t think so. Look at this whole fight. If the Dark One was powerful enough to wipe us out single-handedly, he wouldn’t have brought a small army with him. He might be strong, but he’s not a god, no matter what he keeps trying to tell me. He needs forces, and he obviously doesn’t have enough to deal with us. He won’t have enough to deal with the base on Earth.”

Brath had nothing to say back to that, and neither did the rest of Boundless. Alex did have a point. If the Dark One could just kill everything, why would he bother with armies? Unless he was after something else.

Alex thought back to what she’d heard the Dark One saying. The weapon Vardis had was strong enough to destroy life as she knew it.

And the Dark One didn’t want that. He wanted things to keep living.

“He won’t do it,” Alex said finally. “He’s not here to destroy.”

Jim opened his cockpit and leaned out. “I know you’ve spent a little time in the Dark One’s head, but I don’t think you should start taking his thoughts as the Lord’s truth. We can’t trust him, not even what his mind tells you. He might just be trying to manipulate us.”

Alex knew Jim was partially right. She couldn’t believe any thoughts she’d received from the Dark One, but she could make use of the connection between the two of them.

Jollies was flapping her wings anxiously while Amber huffed out a small storm of electricity. “Are we going to sit around and talk about retreating, or are we going to wait until we have a big enough group of vrosks to retreat from? I think if we’re going to go, now is probably the best chance we have.”

As Jollies was speaking, the portal opened again. The Dark One’s tendrilled ship came through first, with more ships and vrosks following him. Alex felt the familiar dread creep over her at the sight of the ship. She knew the rest of Boundless was feeling it as well.

Vardis, who had just rejoined them, was the only one who didn’t seem to be affected by the sight of the flagship, or at least not like the rest of the Boundless. He looked livid, as if it was impossible for him to hold his anger inside.

She still didn’t know what to make of the alien. He obviously hated the Dark One, but he’d been less than forthright about many things, and the situation with the kin had almost seemed like a backhanded attack. But why would he have attacked them while they were helping him get something he wanted? There was no motive.

From where Alex stood, Vardis was just as trustworthy as the Dark One. Hey, Chine, Alex thought, do you think you could help me reach the Dark One? The way that he reaches out to me?

The dragon’s voice sounded proud when he responded. I don’t think you’ll need my help. I’ve been watching your telepathic abilities grow. You might not realize it, but you’ve been doing most of the heavy lifting recently.

Do you think it’s safe?

I don’t think seeking a conversation with him is in any way safe, but I don’t think you need my protection. I will listen in, though.

Alex turned to the rest of Boundless. “We’re not retreating yet. You guys can deal with another wave, right?”

Brath yawned as he drew his axe and leaned on it. “I got another four in me. What about you, Gill?”

Gill, who was sitting cross-legged, stood and stretched his arms and legs. “At least three at the current number of troops and resting times between the portal’s opening. Jollies?”

“Five. I’m not using nearly as much energy as you guys. Jim?”

“I think I might need to gas up after four or five, but that’s my only concern.”

Alex folded her arms and nodded, satisfied with her team’s answers. “Good. Chine’s going to watch my back. I’m going to have a talk with the Dark One and try to come to some kind of agreement. The way I see it, we have a weapon that can instantly kill him. He might not know we know how to use it.”

Vardis’ eyes widened as he turned to face Alex, his whole body shaking with what could only have been rage. “You can’t be serious. You’re going to talk to him?”

Alex didn’t bother to meet Vardis’ eyes. She was looking at the Dark One’s ship. “I think it’s about time we had a talk on my terms.”

Chapter Five

It felt like second nature. First reaching inward, finding her voice. The voice she’d been using all along when she spoke with Chine. The voice Myrddin and Vardis had both drawn out of her. The voice the Dark One had tried to drown out when she’d found herself within his mind. The voice was there. It was strong—stronger than she’d been aware of.

Alex wondered how long the voice had been there. There had never been any occasion for her to use anything like telepathy. She assumed the way she’d moved around the world when she was blind was because she’d grown used to it.

But if she thought, really thought back, she could remember instances of strong feelings and picking up on things people felt even though she couldn’t see their reactions or body language. It was a deep knowing as if she was somehow connected to them.

Those feelings had grown since she’d been bound to her dragon. It wasn’t something she would have put into words before, but for some reason, everything was clicking now. Chine had sharpened her telepathy by proximity and communication. She wondered if that was how it was for the rest of the dragonriders, but it was doubtful. If it had been like that, they would have talked about it by now, having sensed it growing in each of them.

Above, the vrosks and fighter ships were preparing to attack. Boundless was gearing up to go on the defensive and turn the tide. They all seemed fairly certain that they were going to be able to handle whatever the Dark One was throwing at them, and there was no lack of trust in Alex and what she was capable of.

Alex took a seat next to her dragon, who covered her with his wing, promising to keep her safe. I appreciate it, Alex said. I don’t know what’s going to happen when I get in there.

Chine chuckled softly as he flexed his wing. If it’s anything like last time, it will be somewhat terrifying.

Somewhat? That’s an understatement. Alex called to Brath, “Hey, little guy. You’re in command while I’m out, okay?”

Brath puffed up his chest as Furi reared. “What the hell do you mean, ‘little guy’?”

“I was talking to Furi.”

Brath fake-laughed as Furi stamped the ground. “Hurry up,” Brath chided. “We could use the extra firepower.”

As Alex was preparing to telepathically call out to the Dark One, Vardis walked over to her, crouching to her eye level. It was the first time Alex had noticed how physically imposing the alien was. When they’d been back at the Nest, he’d looked frail behind the glass walls. Now, out here, Alex could see how strong he really was. His attack on the fighter jets hadn’t hurt that impression either.

Vardis peered at Alex, his deep, dark eyes difficult to read. “This is a foolish idea. The Dark One has broken people with his mind. He is not—”

Alex didn’t have time to waste talking to Vardis, especially if he was going to try to talk her out of something her mind was already made up about. “I’ve been in there before, and I came out alive. During the last psychic attack, he hit me with something I could live through as well. I advise you to keep up with everyone else.”

Vardis’ inner eye flickered as he leaned back on his haunches. “If you wish. Be safe.”

“You too.”

Vardis stood and stalked off as Alex tried to relax. She closed her eyes and found the voice in her again. Once she found it, she turned it outward, projecting it toward the Dark One’s ship. But that wasn’t quite right. She was imagining the ship and a physical body to connect with, yet the more she thought about the Dark One, the more her imagination warped and changed until she realized she was looking for a voice. One she’d already spoken to.

Boundless took off to confront the vrosks and ships above. Alex could hear explosions going off. She could see them, yet at the same time, they were blending together and peeling apart. It was as if someone had thrown water on an oil painting and was rubbing it clean.

Then it all broke apart like a stained glass mirror hit with a rock. The darkness of space receded like a wave, and what was beneath it was much deeper darkness. Alex looked down at her feet. She could see Boundless and Vardis engaging the enemy.

Alex felt a vibration course through her head like an earthquake. She was tumbling, trying to grasp something to keep from slipping through the cracks. Insanity lay down there. She didn’t need to have it explained to her.

The vibration subsided. Alex felt something stirring in her for a second, then it shot it out like a white light, cutting through the darkness and illuminating something at the far end of infinity. “What do you want, human?” the Dark One thundered.

The light receded, coming back to Alex like it was on a string. “You know my name. Don’t act like you don’t.”

“Alex.”

“Why haven’t you killed us? If you’re strong enough to wipe out entire universes, what are you doing playing with a bunch of teenagers on flying lizards?”

Something like a laugh emerged, and Alex was surprised that it didn’t sound malicious. The darkness grew even darker. “You have something I want, something I need. Today, we have the same goal: to keep existence from ending.”

“How do you know the weapon is going to do that?”

Another laugh, this one drenching everything in sludgy darkness. “I have seen its effect. It will wipe out all living matter on this plane.”

Alex focused again, sending out another beam of light, dispelling a little bit of darkness. She could see an uncountable number of black hands drawing back. “How do I know I can trust you?”

“Look down.”

Alex glanced at the fight taking place below. A black wave of energy formed around the Dark One’s flagship. Without warning, the energy took the shape of a crescent and snapped across the battlefield, cutting through ships, vrosks, and nearly Jim, who wasn’t able to pull away. The attack stopped at Jim’s mech’s face.

The Dark One laughed again, and black hands clawed at Alex. “If I wanted you dead, you would be. But that is not why I am here. I will bend this universe to my will and remake it in my image. What cannot withstand the fires of my purification will be turned to ash and abandoned. You, though… You could live through the fires. And I promise you this.”

The darkness peeled back, showing a bony black hand dripping red and black ooze into a golden goblet. “I offer you this pact: fight beside me. I will give you an army. Fight under my wing, and I will give you the strength you’ve dreamt of.”

Alex could have laughed at the offer, but she didn’t, and she didn’t know why. Something in her heard the Dark One and wanted to hear more. She was certain it wasn’t due to any influence from the Dark One’s mind. Deep down, she wanted more.

Instead of answering, Alex looked at the battle raging beneath her.

Jim had landed on an asteroid and was hanging off, firing missile after missile at the vrosks who were attempting to swarm him.

Across from him, Gill had swooped in to provide backup. He fired a gravitational well, and Jollies infused it with electricity that electrocuted anything that was pulled into it.

The Dark One’s voice oozed through the cracks in Alex’s brain. “They would be generals in your army. An entire realm to rule. It could be yours. Just give me the weapon.”

Beneath Alex, Brath was flying through space, Furi ripping vrosks in half as ships fired at the dragon. He barrel-rolled and blocked the attack with his wings.

“Give. Me. THE WEAPON!”

It was not a shout, merely a thought that grew stronger with each word.

Alex wasn’t going to give in. Whatever the Dark One offered, she didn’t want any of it. “No deal. I don’t give a crap about being one of your servants. But the weapon…how do I know you aren’t lying?”

“You saw how easily I could destroy you all. I’ll retreat. Take it as a sign of good faith. I don’t need the weapon. Keep it. Destroy it. It matters not to me. All that matters is that Vardis not be allowed to use it.”

Alex weighed her options. “Withdraw your troops. We’ll keep in touch.”

Alex snapped out of the trance, nearly falling over. Chine caught her and helped her to her feet.

A portal had opened in the blackness of space. The Dark One’s forces headed through it. Finally, all that was left was the flagship. It hung back as if it were watching the dragonriders. Then it turned and flew through the portal as well. There was a bright flash, and the portal closed.

Boundless and Vardis flew down to the asteroid Alex and her dragon were on. “What the hell was that all about?” Jim asked. “Did they just retreat?”

Gill leaped off his dragon, smiling widely. “Either Alex is extremely mentally intimidating, or she single-handedly brokered a peace treaty with the Dark One.”

Alex shook her head as she stared at Earth. “Hardly. I don’t know why he left. Maybe I’m just a bad conversationalist.”

The members of Boundless chuckled, although some of them cast dubious glances in Alex’s direction, which she mitigated with a genuine smile.

Vardis, on the other hand, did not seem satisfied by Alex’s answer. Alex couldn’t read the alien’s body language, but she gleaned enough from his mind. He was sulking. Whatever he assumed had happened between Alex and the Dark One had upset him.

That was enough to keep her suspicious.

Chapter Six

Boundless arrived back at the base within the hour. They wasted no time entering the atmosphere after their battle with the Dark One. No one had talked during the entire ride back. Alex was glad. She didn’t want to have to explain the conversation she’d had with the Dark One to the rest of the team while Vardis was near.

Nor did Alex want to address how what the Dark One had said affected her. She had been strongly interested in his promises of power, and she still wasn’t sure if that desire had come from her or the Dark One’s manipulations. If he was such a strong telepath, could he use mind control without her realizing it?

That train of thought made Alex feel like she was trying to run away from the truth. She knew the Dark One used technology to control the minds of his victims. By now, that was common knowledge in the war for Middang3ard.

But the truth didn’t rest easy in Alex’s mind: she had wanted the power the Dark One had promised.

When the dragonriders landed at the base, they were taken to the debriefing room. When the soldiers came to escort Alex and the rest of the riders to their debriefing, Vardis stepped between them. “No,” he said, “We need to talk.”

Alex could see no traces of emotion in Vardis’ eyes, but she caught everything in his mind. It wasn’t quite anger; that was too vague. The closest comparison was the time her parents had accused her of sneaking desserts from the fridge and punished her, only to find out later that her father had forgotten he’d eaten them all.

Anger mixed with betrayal mixed with mistrust. Alex had no idea what Vardis had to mistrust. The riders had done exactly what they said they were going to do: escort him to pick up the weapon and bring it back to Earth. The only thing Alex could think of was that Vardis wasn’t happy about the conversation she’d had with the Dark One.

Then Vardis opened his mouth and proved her right. “Do your commanding officers know you spoke directly to the Dark One? To one of the most powerful psychics in all the realms?”

Alex tried to meet Vardis’ gaze with as much indifference as his eyes betrayed while focusing on her emotions, making sure they weren’t broadcasting as strongly as Vardis’ were. “My commanding officers are about to find out that I did because I’ll tell them, just like I did the rest of you. I don’t have any secrets from them. Do you?”

Vardis’ emotions shut down; he was like a closed book now. “I’ve been nothing but straightforward with all of you. I hope the mishap on the moon won’t tarnish our working relationship in the future.”

Jim and Gill had already walked away, but Alex could hear Brath muttering under his breath. “Mishap? Is that what he’s calling nearly getting us all killed?”

Jollies said, “Everyone makes mistakes. And he said someone hacked into his defense program.”

Couldn’t be that well-hidden if someone found it before us, Alex thought. And if they could hack into the system, why didn’t they just take the weapon?

Alex put on her best fake smile, which was terrible because she hadn’t quite gotten the hang of lying to someone’s face. “I’ll find you after we finish our briefing. They’re probably going to want to hold onto that shard in the meantime.”

Vardis nodded his assent as he bowed. “It only makes sense.”

Alex walked away, joining the rest of Boundless as a soldier approached Vardis and guided him to another part of the base. She jogged to catch up with the soldier leading them and asked, “Would it be possible to do the debrief in the stables? Our dragons have been through a lot, and we should really take care of them first.”

The soldier agreed to the request and told Alex he would make the arrangements. As he and the other soldier walked off, Alex and the rest of Boundless headed toward the stables.

Alex looked over her shoulder to make sure they had left. “There was another reason I asked for a change of meeting. I needed a moment to talk to you guys away from anyone else.”

Jollies clapped her hands and flew to Alex’s shoulder. “Secrets! My favorite.”

“Not a secret. I’m going to let them know in the briefing. I wanted you to hear it from me first, though. When I was talking with the Dark One, he said he could make me a general. If we handed over the weapon, he said all of us would be able to rule our own realms.”

Gill stopped walking and eyed Alex. “He offered you a deal?”

“It was weird. At first, I thought he wanted the weapon, but he eventually said he would consider us destroying the weapon the same as giving it to him. He just wants it gone.”

Jim pointed toward the stable, still walking. “We should keep moving. Don’t want anyone to start staring. I’m assuming you told him we’d sign up as soon as possible, right?”

The rest of Boundless burst out laughing. Alex was glad that was how they responded. She’d been worried they’d be suspicious of her.

Now that Alex felt more comfortable, she went into the details. “The whole thing was weird. He seemed to really want to impress on me that he could have killed us any time he wanted and that I could trust him. He said Vardis couldn’t be trusted. Didn’t say why, though.”

Brath grunted and leaned his head back as if the whole conversation was getting on his nerves. “Great. Now the guy we’re trying to kill is messing with our heads. This is above our pay grade. Wait, do we even get paid?”

The members of Boundless looked at each other. “Hey, that’s a good question,” Jim said. “Soldiers get paid. Shouldn’t we?”

Gill was the only member of Boundless who looked nonplussed. “Of course we get paid. Each of us has our own account. You can access them through your HUD. But I think there are more important things to be talking about now. What did you tell him, Alex?”

Alex shrugged as they neared the stables. “I told him I wasn’t joining his army, and that I’d keep in touch. Don’t know how yet, though. It’s not like I have him on speed dial. I didn’t give him any more information. Like I said, I wanted you guys to hear it from me before anyone else.”

Jim put his hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Thanks. I appreciate it. I’m assuming everyone else does as well.”

There was no disagreement, although Brath still looked annoyed at having to have the conversation to begin with. Alex could see why. Brath hated the Dark One more than anyone else in Boundless, and with good reason.

They entered the stables and got to work draining their dragons. It was slow, gruesome work. There was a lot more than usual. The gear that had been made for their space travel had been better than a prototype, but there were obviously kinks to be worked out.

None of the dragons were talkative, Chine in particular. They roared and groaned as their riders detached the armor and augments that had been placed on them.

About halfway through, soldiers came in with holoscreens to project their conversation with Myrddin. Alex didn’t waste any time explaining the situation to Myrddin, talking as she took care of her dragon, occasionally stopping or wincing from the searing pain in her arms.

Myrddin promised he’d be at the base in a few hours and thanked them for their efforts in the war. Typical businesslike wizard.

Once the briefing was over, the soldiers excused themselves and the riders continued their maintenance. Chine’s took the longest since his body was covered in burns from the explosion he and Alex had caused.

Alex put in a requisition with the Nest for ointments and salves for him and asked them to send a healer if they could spare one. Then she called Abby.

Abby picked up after a few rings. “Hey, what’s up? Wasn’t expecting to hear back from you for a bit.”

“Hey,” Alex said awkwardly. “I just… I was wondering if you had any more information about the shard I sent you?”

Abby took a second to answer. Alex thought she could hear the disappointment in the girl’s voice. “Oh. Well, actually, no. We are still looking into it. Is that all you—”

“Actually, I wanted to know if you wanted to hang out with the team next time you can get some leave. Figured you’re probably getting tired of hanging out at the old folks’ home.”

“Yeah! That would be great. I can get a few days off soon. I’ll message you, okay?”

“Sounds good. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Gotcha. Stay safe.”

Abby hung up, and Alex sighed. She was glad she’d said why she meant to call. It was hard enough to make friends. Even harder to let someone know you wanted to be friends.

When Alex looked around the stables, they were empty. Chine was sleeping, as were the rest of the dragons. Maybe it was time for her to get some sleep too.

* * *

Alex was outside the barracks, looking at the stars. She and Jollies were bunking in one that was currently unused. Jollies had already gone to sleep. Alex couldn’t sleep, though. She could only watch the stars.

During the mission, before everything had turned into an utter crap show, Alex had recorded some footage to send to her dad. She pulled up her HUD and watched the videos. They were breathtaking.

Alex wondered how there could be so much beauty in the universe, and the only reason she was seeing any of it was because of this damn war. If it weren’t for the Dark One, she’d still be blind.

That thought made Alex sick to her stomach. She felt like in some perverse way, she owed her sight to the Dark One. It wasn’t like she’d done anything to earn it. She’d just been good at a video game—one that only existed because of the Dark One.

Something moved in the darkness and Alex was on her feet, scythe drawn. “Who's there?”

Vardis stepped out of the shadows. “The feeling doesn’t go away, you know,” he whispered.

Alex’s lip curled without her even thinking about it. “What are you talking about?”

“Owing him. For making your life anything but unremarkable.”

Alex felt like kicking herself. She should have known to guard her thoughts. To be fair, though, she wasn’t certain what guarding her thoughts would look like. “I’m assuming you can relate?”

Vardis didn’t walk much farther out from the shadows. “For some of us, there was no life before our war with the Dark One.”

Hatred, pure and hot, radiated from Vardis as he spoke. “Some of us were born into violence, into this…constant battle for existence. We would be nothing without the Dark One. What would my life be if I had grown up on a world like this with a family that loved me? If I had been given the luxury of hope?”

The hate coming off Vardis was hitting Alex like a wave of heat. It was almost enough to suffocate her. She tried to push back against it, but she had nothing to counter Vardis’ feelings. All she could do was make sure she wasn’t overrun by them. “I don’t owe him anything,” Alex said. “I don’t owe anyone anything.”

“Is that so? Myrddin? Your parents? None of them?”

Alex shook her head as she folded her arms. “I didn’t ask for help. Didn’t ask to be born. They gave what they wanted, and I worked for what I got. Yeah, I got help. That’s not the same as being in someone’s debt.”

Vardis looked toward the stars as if he’d grown bored with the conversation. “That’s an interesting way to look at things. What did you and the Dark One discuss?”

“You know, just catching up and—”

Before Alex could finish speaking, she felt the air around her heat up. Vardis was in front of her, nearly nose to nose. She screamed and stumbled back, feeling more than just hatred coming off the alien. Pure energy was radiating from him as if he were merely a vessel for some intense power.

Alex scrambled to her feet and stood glaring into Vardis’ dark eyes, which never stopped watching her. “What the hell—”

Vardis raised his hand, silencing Alex. “Do not lie to me, human.”

Anger flashed across Alex’s face, and her skin unexpectedly burst into flames, the draconic energy activating in her.

Vardis stepped back, caught off-guard by Alex resisting his intimidation.

The flames quickly burned out, but the fire was still in Alex’s eyes. “I don’t report to you,” Alex growled. “I suggest you go back to your room.”

The negative emotions and energy coming off Vardis vanished, and he ceased looking like a threat. Now it was hard for Alex to see him as anything other than a nuisance. “Apologies if I’ve kept you too long,” he said as he bowed slightly and disappeared into the night.

Alex stayed outside for a little longer, watching where Vardis had gone. She didn’t trust him, but she had no idea what kind of game he was playing. Even worse, it seemed like the most trustworthy person at this moment was the Dark One. “God, I hope this crap gets easier.”

Chapter Seven

The next two days were given to team Boundless to recoup from the mission. Each member of the team found that when they woke up the next day, they were hardly able to get out of bed. Jim was the first to call the medics in due to him being the first to rise.

By the time Alex woke up, medics were stationed around her bed. Apparently, no one at the base had taken into account how much wear and tear was put on the rider’s bodies by flying and fighting in space.

Myrddin showed up to speak with Alex privately after she’d been released from her medical check. He was waiting for her in her barracks, sipping a cup of tea while the medics brought her in, sitting in a wheelchair. “Glad to see you’re still walking. No pun intended.”

The medics helped Alex get into bed and propped her up. Alex couldn’t begin to express how happy she was to see Myrddin. The worries she’d had before about Myrddin holding back information or keeping her on the outside had been dispelled. “Glad you found time in your busy schedule to stop by.”

Myrddin conjured a cup of tea and offered it to Alex. “Not a problem. The dragonriders are my pet project. I believe you and the DGA are tied for the most time I spend. The Riders are far too valuable a project to allow someone else to oversee.”

“How many different groups are there?”

Myrddin scrunched his face as he counted. “Far too many to name. The DGA and the Riders are my primary human projects. The MERC program is another one close to my heart since it holds the most humans throughout any corps, but that runs predominately on its own. It’s a huge group. Has a pretty solid infrastructure. Then there are a handful throughout the nine realms that I run with different racial delegations and the like.”

“Racial delegations?”

Myrddin finished his tea and placed the cup on the table next to Alex. “It is not my place to determine how any of the realms deal with the Dark One. That has been a problem in the past. It was one of the reasons the gnomish world fell. My predecessors showed up and informed the gnomes they were going to tell them how to defeat the Dark One. In many ways, it seemed like an invasion of another kind. I’ve learned from their mistakes.”

Alex blew on her tea to cool it down. “How do you handle that now?”

“Slowly. With patience and understanding. But war politics isn’t why I’m here. I came to see how you were doing.”

“You came just to visit me?”

Myrddin was examining Alex’s wheelchair as if he were looking for things to improve. “No, not to visit only you. Although you are the leader of Boundless, I have a lot riding on all of you. Jim is the youngest human mech rider. Jollies is perhaps our most proficient rider. The drow have only allowed one of their own to participate in the joint war efforts.”

Alex leaned forward and asked, “What about Brath? What’s your interest in him?”

Myrddin’s brow furrowed and grew dark as his eyes sharpened. “Brath. Sometimes we hold our failures more closely than our successes. If you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about him. Lest you worry, he is just as exceptional as the rest of you.”

Alex thought it better to keep from probing. “You talk to anyone else yet?”

Myrddin nodded slowly. “First, the dragons. They are all recovering well. Chine will have to spend more time under observation than the rest. We thought the same would be said of you. Of the Riders, Jollies is the one having the hardest time. Her bone density wasn’t properly accounted for. She’s on bed rest in the medbay for the next two days.”

For all the irritation Myrddin had caused Alex recently, she was glad he had checked on her team. It let her know he cared. At times like this, Alex thought, that was the most important thing. “Itching to get your hands on that weapon?” Alex asked.

Myrddin looked solemn as if this was a question he’d been contemplating his entire life, and he was preparing to give the proper answer. “We’re waiting until all the riders can be present. You risked your life for this. We should wait until you’re all ready. Until then, at the request of your teammates, we’re providing a…movie day. I believe that was what Jim called it.”

If Alex could have, she would have leaped out of bed. “Are you serious?”

Myrddin jumped back a little bit, caught off-guard by Alex’s excitement. “Uh, yes. He thought you might enjoy it a lot.”

Alex didn’t want to tell Myrddin, but since she’d gotten her eyes, she had been wanting to watch a movie. She’d spent much of her childhood listening to movies her father wanted to watch with her.

Myrddin stood and got ready to leave. “Also, one of the DGA agents has leave now as well. She should be arriving within the hour. Abby. I hope you all hit it off.”

If Myrddin hadn’t been in the room, Alex would have jumped for joy. Also, she had to be able to move comfortably. But she wanted to maintain some kind of professionalism, and she couldn’t move much. “Great. Can’t wait to see everyone.”

* * *

Team Boundless was wheeled into Alex’s barracks a few hours later. Everyone was complaining, Brath more than anyone else. A couple of strings had been pulled, and Jollies was brought into the barracks as well. After Boundless got settled, Abby arrived. She stood in the corner of the barracks for a bit after the soldiers left the room, not knowing whether she was going to talk to anyone. When Alex finally noticed her, she waved for Abby to come into the room.

Abby walked slowly as if uncertain if she should be included in the events, but Alex patted her bed multiple times to let her know she should feel comfortable enough to take a seat. Within minutes, Alex, Jollies, Abby, and Gill were in a heated debate over which movie they should watch.

Despite Alex’s protests, they ended up watching a new elvish movie that Gill convinced Jim and Brath was worth viewing.

Needless to say, none of the humans were prepared for their first forays into elvish cinema. To begin with, there was hardly any dialogue. Most of the movie took place in a forest, with long shots meandering through trees. After the first hour, Abby finally convinced everyone to try another movie.

They eventually settled on an old film about a group of dwarves and halflings and elves making a journey against insurmountable odds. Alex was ecstatic about the choice. It was one of her parents’ favorite films. She wished she was watching it with them, but she was glad her first movie experience was being shared with her teammates.

From there, they watched movies far into the night. The soldiers arranged for an additional bed to be put in for Abby and for Jollies’ medbay setup to be brought into the room.

For the first time in a while, Alex forgot she was a soldier. She, Abby, and Jollies stayed up late, talking about whatever dropped into their minds. Alex would have been hard-pressed to remember the conversations, yet they felt more important than anything going on in the world at the moment.

Alex didn’t know when she fell asleep, but it was the most peaceful repose she’d had in a long time.

Chapter Eight

The briefing took place at nine in the morning after the two-day leave. Team Boundless was rested, having enjoyed the brief period of normalcy. They were allowed to be teenagers for a bit, and even Brath seemed like he had benefited from not thinking about war 24/7.

Unfortunately, things had to return to normal, and Alex could see the disappointment on her team’s face. For two days, they hadn’t talked about the Dark One, read anything about battle tactics, or been drilled on flying exercises. They’d visited their dragons, but the beasts were still resting as well.

The briefing was a reminder that this was just a break.

Abby accompanied Boundless to the briefing. She wanted to get information on the weapon that was being used and take it back to the DGA base. They would run tests and do research. If she skipped out on the briefing, she would have to wait for secondhand information. “Don’t make sense to wait around when I’m right here,” she had said.

There were no disagreements. Abby was part of the Middang3ard efforts, even if she was in another department. Jim mentioned that was something the military had problems with. You almost never saw government agencies working with each other. Maybe that was why Myrddin’s system worked so well.

The briefing was to take place in the quarantine area of the base, which was where the shard was being kept. Alex wondered whether that was where Vardis was being kept as well. She doubted it. Even if she had her suspicions about Vardis, it wouldn’t have sent the alien the right message.

As Boundless made their way toward the quarantine area, Jollies floated around Alex’s head, complaining. “We should have more days like this. The last time we got a day off, it was a national holiday. And then this whole thing happened. It wasn’t even a full day off.”

Alex swatted Jollies away. “That’s why we got two full days. It’s not like you can just call a timeout in a war. If we’re needed, we’re needed. When was the last time you had a day off, Abby?”

Abby wasn’t listening. She was looking down at her datapad as she was walking. “Hm… What was that? I was running diagnostics on your arm. There might be things I can upgrade so it runs a little smoother.”

Jollies giggled as she flew over to Abby. “Doesn’t look like she takes a break even on her days off. She was up all last night working.”

Abby shrugged as her nano-parts absorbed the datapad back into her body. “I don’t need as much sleep as I used to,” she explained. “Part of being a cyborg, I guess. Didn’t wanna keep everyone up by blabbing. Used to hate when my sisters did that.”

Brath, who had returned to his usual disgruntled demeanor, caught up with the girls. “Glad to hear you didn’t. Jim and Gill wouldn’t shut up last night.”

Gill and Jim exchanged glances that hinted they might be hiding something. “It was a riveting game of chess,” Gill said. “One that went on for far too long. Alex, you are lucky you made us take it outside.”

Jim clapped Gill on the back and laughed. “Yeah, it took like six hours or something. And Gill doesn’t believe in trash-talking during games of strategy. I had to teach him a lesson or two.”

“Your trash-talking didn’t help you win.”

Jim strolled away nonchalantly. “Yeah, but it did make it harder for you to win. You gotta admit that.”

“True. Perhaps that counts as a strategy. Wouldn’t say it’s a winning strategy, though.”

Abby laughed at Jim’s and Gill’s banter. “Kinda nice to be ‘round folks my age,” she said between giggles. “Everyone’s so serious at DGA. I think Anabelle’s the only one who ever laughs.”

Alex wracked her mind, trying to remember the names of everyone she had met on their mission with the DGA. “That’s the elf, right?”

“Yeah. She’s cool. Really cool. I like her a lot. I mean, as a teacher or whatever. But, yeah. It’s a pretty serious place.”

The kids arrived at the quarantine area, and the soldiers guarding the office let them in. Myrddin was already in the room, as were Vardis and Roy, the latter doing a double-take when he saw Abby. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the DGA? Don’t tell me you can teleport now with those nano-bots.”

Abby shook her head as she walked farther into the room, which was separated from the shard by a thick sheet of glass. “Got a couple of days off. You might want to try it sometime. My pa used to say you can work a horse to death but then all ya got is a dead horse.”

“Your country wisdom gets more morbid each week, you know?”

Abby peered through the glass to get a better look at the shard. “Just savin’ the best ones for last.”

Alex went up to the glass to look at the shard as well. “So, you said you wanted to wait until we were all here to talk about the shard, right?” she asked.

As Myrddin prepared to speak, Alex looked inward and found her voice, turning it outward and projecting it at Abby. Hey, don’t react. At all. Otherwise they’ll know what I’m doing. But can you hear me? Answer or rest your right pinky on the glass.

Alex didn’t hear a response, but Abby did place her right pinky on the glass. She kept her eyes trained on the shard.

Alex nearly jumped out of her skin with excitement. Perfect! Okay, it might be weird to talk back while trying to listen, but that shard looks just like the last one, doesn’t it? Like it’s made out of the same stuff the Dark One was using to separate us from our dragons.

Abby’s voice came through, small and squeaky as if it were uncertain of itself. Yeah. I’m running a diagnostic. They look to have the same basic mineral structure, but I’ll have to get my hands on it to pull a sample.

Can you do that?

Abby tapped her pinky on the glass. No one could have seen it but Alex, whose dragon eyes magnified everything. A single nano-bot crept out from under Abby’s nail and jumped onto the glass, cut a nano-bot sized hole, and went for the shard. Don’t worry, it’ll seal everything up when it’s done, Abby assured Alex.

Alex and Abby turned around to face Myrddin, who was waiting for everyone’s full attention. “This is less a briefing and more a meeting,” Myrddin explained. “I’m glad Abby-Lynn could join us as well. Her knowledge always proves to be invaluable.”

Abby modestly waved away Myrddin’s compliment, conjuring old Southern manners into Alex’s mind from books she’d read in braille. “Hardly. Don’t know much about alien tech yet.”

“I believe you said the same thing about gnomish aqueduct restoration last week, as well, a topic Brath would no doubt want to hear about at some point. But on to business. The shard, a weapon Vardis proposes we use to destroy the Dark One once and for all, has been retrieved. Vardis, would you care to explain how this weapon would do that?”

Vardis stood and walked toward the shard. He rested his hand on the glass, and Alex hoped that Abby’s nano-bot had returned. She also made sure she was guarding her thoughts. “The dragonriders witnessed a fraction of what the shard was capable of on the moon. The defense matrix used—”

Brath cleared his throat loudly. “Oh, yeah, the matrix that malfunctioned and almost killed all of us. How did that happen again?”

Vardis slowly turned, his eyes neutral, and an apologetic smile crept across his face. “The system was hacked from off-site. If anyone had managed to get as close as we did, they would have been killed. I’m surprised we survived. But you can at least attest to the power of the weapon.”

Gill raised his hand as if he were in a classroom. “This is a meeting, correct? We are all welcome to share our opinion?”

Roy good-naturedly nodded. “If you have something to say, get it out. This ain’t that rank B.S. You guys were on the ground floor. We need to hear what you have to say.”

Gill stood, his calmness wielded like a weapon. “We saw an attack by the Dark One’s ship that looked capable of taking us out in one blow. The shard weapon defense wasn’t able to stop five riders, and we were operating in a very limited manner. How would this weapon be able to destroy the Dark One if it could hardly handle us?”

Alex could have kissed Gill. She wouldn’t have, but she could have. With everything that had been going on, Alex hadn’t had a chance to stop and ask herself how a weapon that couldn’t handle the dragonriders could handle the Dark One.

Vardis didn’t seem perturbed by the question. “Ah, a good observation. Simply put, the weapon was also under a handicap. It was only using 0.05% of its energy. The defense that was summoned would be akin to your dragon batting its eyelash to shoo a fly. Outside the defense matrix, the weapon will operate at 100%.”

Gill glanced at Myrddin, looking somewhat disappointed by the answer. “Will you explain to us exactly how this weapon works?” the wizard asked.

Vardis pressed his hand to the glass, and the shard began to glow. “Your team witnessed it firsthand. The shard is capable of summoning constructs from my dimension. The constructs take on the physical properties of whatever is used to summon them. They are nearly impossible to destroy at full power, but their true potential is in their volume. Millions of kin can be summoned at a time—a force to easily overrun the Dark One’s.”

Myrddin ran his long fingers through his silver beard. “What are these kin?”

Vardis turned away from the glass, and the shard ceased glowing. “They are biological constructs engineered in my dimension for the sole purpose of war. Elementals. One of the reasons they could be defeated was due to them being forged of rock, the weakest of elements. But if we were to use fire—a volcano on Middang3ard, for instance—they’d be unstoppable.”

Roy scoffed as he folded his arms. “You’re saying your weapon is an army. You think we should give you the resources to build an unstoppable army? For all we know, you could be just as bad as the Dark One. The only difference is his army isn’t made up of hyperdimensional elementals, just flesh and blood like the rest of us.”

Vardis’ eyes darkened in that way only Alex seemed to notice. Even if she hadn’t, she could feel the hatred coming off of Vardis. It hit her hard. This time he wasn’t trying to hide it. Even if anyone else in the room didn’t have telepathy, there was no way they couldn’t sense this.

When Vardis spoke, you could hear the rage in his voice. “The Dark One took everything from me. I am nothing like him. Once he is destroyed, I want nothing else. You can keep the damn shard.”

Roy backed off, and Vardis relaxed. “Besides,” the alien went on. “’Unstoppable’ is just semantics. The kin can’t be defeated, but they have a limited life span. That’s their failsafe. They have to be implemented wisely in a decisive battle, one where the Dark One is exposed. They only live for so long.”

There was silence in the room while everyone weighed what had been said. The more Vardis had explained, the more of a gamble this sounded like. The decision was not straightforward.

Myrddin sat down and crossed his legs. “If it is amenable to the rest of you, I’d like to discuss and come to a final decision with Roy. That is unless any of you have a strong opinion about our next course of action?”

The members of Boundless looked at each other. Jim finally spoke. “We all trust Alex enough for this. Just let us know what’s coming next.”

“Thank you. You are all dismissed.”

As Boundless and Vardis left, Abby walked past Alex and said, “Catch up with you later.”

The two hugged quickly, and Alex whispered, “Yeah, see you in a bit.”

Alex and Roy took seats across from Myrddin, who was deep in thought. Roy, on the other hand, looked as if he hadn’t been paying attention to the whole conversation. “Thoughts?” Alex asked.

Roy hardly seemed able to hold himself back when he spoke. “I think it’s a real friggin’ stupid idea. Give an unknown quantity control of an entire army. He didn’t mention anything about how he was going to control them. How we were going to. All he mentioned was a time failsafe, and he neglected to say how long that time limit was. I think it’s a crap idea. We should ditch it and destroy the shard.”

Myrddin nodded as he listened to Roy. “What do you think, Alex?”

Alex had mentioned she had spoken with the Dark One in her initial debriefing. It wouldn’t come as a surprise to Myrddin or Roy. “The Dark One seems pretty intent on stopping this weapon from being used. He said it was because it would destroy all life. I don’t know if that’s true, but he was willing to let Boundless live as long we kept the weapon from being used. We know he’s afraid of it, at least.”

Myrddin sighed as he hung his head, looking more tired every moment. “I do not like unknown quantities. We now know the Dark One fears this weapon, at least.”

Alex felt a coldness in her heart over what she was about to say. “We should use the weapon. If Vardis tries anything, we kill him. It’s that simple. Even if he raises his own army, what good is it without a leader?”

Roy seemed to be thinking the same thing. “A little ruthless. Definitely not something he’d be expecting from a bunch of kids. I’m in.”

Myrddin slowly stood, taking his time since his body was creaking. “Then it’s decided. We’ll prep the collider for your return trip to Middang3ard. Then we will start looking for a viable place to use the weapon. Until then, you have a little more time off.”

Chapter Nine

The members of Boundless all had different ideas of what “time off” meant. Almost immediately after the meeting, Gill and Jollies separated from the rest of the squad, practically locking themselves in the barracks to binge-watch any form of human entertainment they could get their hands on. After watching an elvish movie, Alex could see why.

Brath couldn’t stay still, and he didn’t want anyone’s company. Alex had tried multiple times to talk to Brath or spend some time with him. As usual, he was bristly and untalkative. Unless it had to do with taking down the Dark One, he didn’t seem interested in discussing it. The exception was his mistrust of Vardis.

Alex could see similarities between Vardis and Brath, but she was honestly surprised by how different they were. It was no secret that Brath was obsessed with the Dark One’s destruction. He didn’t mention it often, but when he did, it was obvious that it was on his mind all the time.

Vardis held the same desire, but the motivation was different. Alex had only heard Vardis speak about how much he wanted to kill the Dark One. Brath had many reasons, the one brought up the most being his love for his homeworld. Alex could easily tell Brath was concerned about his people being free and having a home again. His hatred for the Dark One was incidental.

Vardis had mentioned a few times that the Dark One had taken everything from him. Alex was curious about what he had taken from the alien.

Jim could hardly be found. He spent most of his time wandering through the hallways of the military base. Even though Alex tried to talk to him a few times, he seemed distant. Something was on his mind, and it wasn’t anything he was willing to talk about.

So, Alex spent most of her time waiting with Abby. Neither of them had any problem with that. Abby had woken Alex up at the crack of dawn to rush her to the medbay to take a look at her cybernetics.

Alex was initially annoyed since she was not a morning person. When she saw how happy Abby was to have a chance to look at her arm, she couldn’t stay angry. They spent most of the morning with Abby running tests on the arm, trying to find different augments she could add to beef it up.

By the time Abby was done, Alex’s arm was not only running smoother but also had the addition of a small plasma cannon that operated using the draconic fluid running through Alex’s veins.

When Abby was done working on Alex’s arm, she leaned back and started checking through her notes. “So, what’s the deal with this draconic fluid?” she asked. “You know exactly what it’s doing?”

Alex tried to find the words to explain it to Abby. “It’s their blood or their life force. The augments tear into their bodies, and the fluid comes out like pus. If it’s left on their skin or they have too much inside, it sears through. So, the anchors absorb the fluid and convert it to energy.”

Abby was listening intently, yet her eyes never left the computer screen. “Okay, I got that. Your anchor should be processing the fluid. Why is it in your blood and no one else’s?”

“That is the real question. I haven’t been given a straight answer. Makes me think it’s not a common thing. I haven’t been able to find any information about it in our books, either. Part of me thinks no one has told me anything about it because they haven’t seen it before.”

Abby turned to face Alex and held out her hand. Her nano-bots poured out of her pores and started to build a small tracking device. “Could I install this in your arm? Just as a way to keep track of the fluids in your blood so we can get a better idea about what’s going on. I can tell you from experience, you shouldn’t have things messing with your body that you don’t know about.”

“What do you mean?”

Abby’s skin shifted from its usual dark brown to a metallic black. “I injected myself with nano-bots when I first started with the DGA. Now I have an AI living in my brain, and I’m not sure if the nano-bots are trying to replace all of my organic material or not. They don’t talk.”

Alex had never thought there might be a negative effect of the draconic fluid. She believed Chine would have told her if that was the case. Maybe he didn’t know. “You think something bad might happen?”

Abby’s skin returned to normal as she shook her head. “Nah, not really. But I thought the same thing when I pumped myself full of robots. Might be better to be safe than sorry.”

“Won’t those try to infect me?”

“Nah. These bots are tuned to my body. Once they’re out, they’re just standard constructions. No will or anything. But I thought I should ask before adding stuff to your body.”

Alex gave Abby her hand. “Thanks for that.”

Abby installed the tracker in Alex’s arm. After she was finished, the rider stood and stretched. “Ugh, we’ve been in here all day. Let’s go for a walk or something. Maybe grab some food.”

Alex’s stomach gurgled loudly, and Abby laughed at the sound. “I always forget to eat.” She chuckled. “Don’t get hungry much anymore. Nanobots are always trying to make my body more efficient.”

“You still like food, though, right?”

Abby smiled devilishly. “Oh, wait until you see me eat.”

* * *

The scientist hadn’t been lying. Alex watched Abby put away two lunches and three rounds of dessert. Abby didn’t talk when she ate, she merely inhaled her food. Alex didn’t know whether to be grossed out or amused.

When Abby finally finished eating, she let out a small belch and leaned back in her chair. “Sorry. I haven’t had human food made by humans in a long time. Makes a huge difference. Ain’t as good as the fam’s, but it’s close.”

Alex snatched a leftover biscuit from Abby’s plate. “You could still eat more, couldn’t you?”

Abby patted her stomach as she smiled. “Best part of having nanobots regulate your body. They compensate for everything.”

Suddenly Abby’s face went serious. “Got something on my mind, though. That guy, Vardis. What’re your thoughts on him?”

Alex wasn’t sure if she should disclose her mistrust of Vardis to Abby. Boundless and Myrddin knew, but that was because they had been on the mission. Anything else might have just been putting people on edge unnecessarily. “He says he has a weapon that’ll take care of the Dark One. What more do we need to know?”

Abby was silent for a moment, looking as if she were trying to find the right words to express her worries. “Took a quick look last night. There are only a couple of volcanoes in Middang3ard. The biggest ones, which would yield the largest number of kin, have channels that lead to the core of the planet. And I know Myrddin—he’ll want to go big or go home. That’s what he’ll give Vardis.”

Alex poked the leftover food on her plate. “You think he’ll do it even if he has cause not to trust Vardis?”

Abby nodded solemnly. “He’s a gambler. Might put on an air of being in control and whatnot, but he doesn’t know what’s going on any more than the rest of us most of the time. He just does a better job of hiding it. He’s as likely to risk it all as any of us are.”

Alex weighed her options. There didn’t seem to be many. “Okay. I’ll have Gill and Jim take a look at prospective places. Tomorrow. I don’t want to deal with it until tomorrow. I want a normal night, or as normal as it can get.”

“What’s the most normal thing you can think of?”

Alex ran a couple of scenarios in her head. “You want to come to dinner with Jim and me?”

Chapter Ten

Dinner was served at 6:30, which was earlier than Alex was used to. For the last few weeks, she’d been able to eat anytime she wanted to. Being restricted to her parents’ idea of when food should be served was interesting, to say the least.

Jim and Abby showed up at her door a little before the food was to be served. Her parents were caught off-guard by two additional people arriving for dinner but didn’t say anything.

Alex brought Abby and Jim into the kitchen, fielding questions from her parents that she didn’t want to deal with. Most of them had to do with Alex’s mission. Her father was very curious to know how it had all panned out. Alex wasn’t ready to give them any details.

Jim and Abby did most of the talking during the meal prep. Alex’s parents were more than happy to be regaled with Abby’s stories of the bizarreness of working with so many non-humans. They were equally interested in Jim’s tales of being the only mech rider in Boundless.

Alex stayed quiet and helped with the preparations as much as she could. It was a pleasant change to be told what to do rather than having to make the calls herself, even if the decisions were as benign as choosing the proper way to cut an onion.

Chicken curry was what Alex’s father had planned for the evening. After all the ingredients had been sliced and diced appropriately, Claire had said she’d watch the pot while everyone else waited in the living room.

An awkward silence fell over Alex and the rest as they tried to think of a conversation point. Finally, Alex remembered the videos she’d recorded of her flight out to space. She pulled up her HUD and transferred the files to the smart TV in the living room.

To say Alex’s father was impressed by the videos would have been an understatement. He was speechless for most of the time he was watching. When the footage of the moon came up, he lost his mind and giggled like a child, almost jumping out of his seat.

Alex was glad she’d remembered to bring this part of her life home to her dad. When dinner was finally served, it took everything in Claire’s power to bring her husband to the table. Once they were all seated, space was the topic of utmost importance.

Anything to keep from talking about what was actually going on. Alex was glad her parents were getting along with Abby and Jim. Both of them avoided intrusive questions, more than happy to try to have a normal night at home.

And for the most part, it was normal. So normal that Alex wondered why she had ever gotten involved with Myrddin and this fight against the Dark One. This would have been more than enough to keep her happy for the rest of her life.

That was what she’d like to tell herself, but deep down, she knew that wasn’t true. Her mind hadn’t left the issue of the shard since she’d set foot in her home.

It was nice to pretend there were things outside of the Dark One and his war, but Alex knew the truth. Even these simple interactions with her family and friends were shaped by her knowledge that there was a force trying to enslave everyone in existence, and there was another that was possibly trying to end them.

All in all, Alex appreciated the break. She didn’t talk much during dinner, choosing instead to listen to the surrounding conversation. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Once dinner was over, her parents cleared the table, leaving Alex, Abby, and Jim alone. Even though the meal and family time had gone surprisingly well, none of the three seemed particularly settled or comfortable. Jim was the one to broach the awkwardness. “Are we going to talk about Vardis?” he asked.

Alex was preparing to say something when Abby interrupted her. “I’m not part of your team, I know, but I don’t trust him. Don’t know if it’s my place to say, but I’m not about this.”

Jim and Alex exchanged glances. Nothing more needed to be said. They were all on the same page. “Hey,” Alex said, “how about we go help out with dishes?”

With that, the three slipped into a visage of normalcy that continued until the dining room and kitchen were clean and Jim and Abby were picked up by members of Earth’s HQ to take them back to the base. The goodbyes were swift, lacking in affection, and sterile.

Alex wished they had headed out on a better note, but she realized they all had something on their minds. After Jim and Abby left, Alex returned to the living room. Her parents were sitting and talking quietly, only stopping for a second when Alex came in. She could read the room. She figured it was best for her to go to bed.

Nostalgia hit Alex like a train when she walked into her bedroom. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been in her own room. It seemed like an entirely different dimension, far removed from the Wasps Nest. She felt more alien in here than in her dorm room at the Nest.

Regardless, the room still made her sleep. She slipped into her bed without a second thought and found herself dozing off almost instantly. Her eyes were heavy, and she couldn’t keep them open. Slowly closing…drifting away.

When Alex opened her eyes, she was in a white plane, one that she knew. In the distance, she saw someone working, their back turned to her.

It was Vardis. She recognized the feeling of the place. It was the same plane he had drawn her into before. The only difference this time was that Vardis wasn’t aware she was there. Alex decided to take advantage of the moment. She snuck up behind Vardis, hiding her thoughts and making sure he didn’t notice her.

When Alex reached Vardis’ shoulder and was able to peek over and see what he was working on, she was gripped with a fear she’d never known her entire life. A fear that far surpassed anything the Dark One had ever incurred within her.

She beheld what lay in Vardis’ palms and trembled.

Then Alex was flung into the darkness of her dreams, to try to make sense of what she’d seen upon waking.

Author Notes Ramy Vance

May 2, 2020

So my latest launch was held up in Amazon’s processing center. For days! Eight to be exact. It seems the Dark Gate Angels (a new Middang3ard series) was just too much for Amazon to handle.

That or they were short staffed due to Covid-19 … I like to think it was the book being too epic.

Regardless of the reason (too hot to handle), those eight days were filled with me refreshing my Amazon page a million times, yelling at my computer while I anxiously waited for my latest release to go live.

In my frustration, I made these:

Hey, if you can’t have passive aggressive fun with your frustrations, what else is there to do?

I made a couple others, but Michael – for legal reasons – forbade me from sharing them!

Author Notes Michael Anderle

May 17, 2020

THANK YOU for reading our story!

We have a few of these planned, but we don’t know if we should continue writing and publishing without your input.

Options include leaving a review, reaching out on Facebook to let us know, and smoke signals.

Frankly, smoke signals might get misconstrued as low hanging clouds, so you might want to nix that idea…

A Radio Interview… How novel!

So, this Sunday, I am going to be interviewed by a local radio station in Savannah, GA for a couple of hours. Frankly, I’m trying to figure out what we are going to talk about.

The host of the show, Adam Messler, promises me we can fill two hours, and I’m going to go with that since I’m not sure. He’s the expert, not me.

One of the interesting aspects of this interview is that we will have it using a phone. After the last couple of months (and frankly, for a few years now), I almost NEVER use the phone for any type of business communication.

Except to call our insurance agent or his team.

I’m scratching my head, thinking about what it will feel like to go old-school and just talk. I won’t have to worry about shaving (YEAH!) or what I’m wearing or anything (Is my office clean? It won’t matter, we aren’t on video.).

I expect to enjoy myself, as long as there isn’t a bunch of dead air space where I don’t know what to say.

Don’t Let Ramy Get Bored…and exasperated.

I don’t want to say too much about Ramy’s frustration with our last book that came out.

It was during a really hard to for Amazon (for some reason—Amazon doesn’t share what happens even if thousands have felt it or seen the problems. It is kinda like the US Government “No, those lights up in the sky we chased with jets? It was swamp gas… Wait, ball lightning!”)

When Ramy goes too far into bored and exasperated, waiting for the book to be released after days and days, he gets feisty.

Ad Aeternitatem,

Michael Anderle

Death of the Mind

Dragon Approved™ Book Twelve

Chapter One

Alex was in a place she didn’t understand.

Only a few minutes ago, she’d gone to sleep, expecting to be overcome by dreams.

And while Alex was in a dream, it was unlike anything she’d ever experienced.

She stood behind Vardis, watching him tinkering at a table, the same kind she’d seen in medbays. The sort she vaguely remembered from when she’d had her arm implanted.

There was a coldness in this place, one she was not familiar with. It stretched into her arms, her legs, into every part of her body.

Vardis didn’t seem to notice her. He was working on whatever was in front of him on the table.

Alex wanted to get closer, wanted to see what was in front of Vardis, but if she moved, he would know. She didn’t know how she possessed that knowledge, but she knew it down to her core. Any movement would make Vardis aware of her existence.

Until moving was necessary, Alex would watch. What she saw was enough to make her gasp and hope anything except what she was seeing was true.

Seeing wasn’t quite the word. It didn’t do justice to what was unfolding before her.

The alien was working on a scroll, but the words scrawled on it made no sense to Alex.

Until they did.

Not in the way that words had started to make sense when she was learning braille. There was no clear detailing of ideas, of emotions. Instead, these words called attention to another kind of feeling—one of separation. Each scribble Alex read drew her farther away from the text.

Vardis seemed to be having the same problem, and it was causing him noticeable frustration. The alien slammed his fists on the table, speaking in his own tongue under his breath.

The red shard floated above the texts, the same one Alex and Team Boundless had risked their lives to get. It cast a crimson hue over the scroll and the table.

Frustrated, the alien stood up and tipped the table over as he screamed. The scroll fell, along with everything else, yet the shard remained floating in the air.

Alex jerked away, the sounds of the clattering junk and the scroll hitting the floor ringing in her ear as if a gong had been struck. She yelped in surprise and covered her mouth the moment she heard her own voice.

Vardis turned, his eyes wide and searching.

It was obvious to Alex that he could not see her. Wherever they were, it wasn’t a plane that he had any more control over than she did. That was good. This was not a safe situation. Alex was glad that the alien didn’t have any noticeable edge over her.

Then the scene changed.

The lab vanished, and Alex was standing on a plain of blue-green grass that stretched as far as her eye could see. Huts had been built all over the plane and aliens of the same race as Vardis walked to and from the huts.

Few of the beings made eye contact with each other. They seemed to be working hard on something, although Alex could not tell what it was.

Whatever they were occupied with was all-consuming.

Alex could feel it.

Waves and waves of feeling came off them.

Vardis looked at the sky, staring into the purple glow shining from their moon.

Then Alex was back in the lab again, watching Vardis with another scroll. For some reason, she felt like she was less present than she had been previously, as if she were losing her grip on this place.

With that in mind, Alex walked closer to the alien, trying to look over his shoulder and see more details on the document he was working on.

Much like before, the scribbles were not understandable, but not in a way Alex could wrap her head around. But the moment she’d glanced at a few of the indecipherable pencil scratches, she felt her mind rip itself open.

Each individual mark shredded the core of her existence.

Through the pain, she peered at them, trying to understand how to make sense of them.

But there was no sense to be made.

The writing turned black, and the blackness extended beyond the scribbles, finding its way into Alex’s chest, and crawling down her spine so each vertebra whispered of its effect.

Alex snapped awake. Or at least, what she thought was awake.

She stood at the edge of a lake that was thick and red like blood. The lake lay beneath two red suns, each beaming down its heat on Alex. She felt like she was going to burst into flames. The feeling eased, and the liquid boiled at her feet.

Wherever she was made no sense. It was worse than when she’d been in the Dark One’s mind. At least there had been some kind of focus in that situation. This felt like walking around in the head of a madman.

And if Alex’s assumptions were correct, this was just the beginning. Alex wondered what level of Vardis’ mind this was. In any case, she had to figure out how to get out.

As she stared at the liquid’s surface, she could see images moving back and forth as if they were fish. Some of the images were of Vardis, and others were too blurry for Alex to see.

Curiosity got the better of her and she plunged her hand into the liquid, surprised it didn’t burn her skin. She grasped one of the images of Vardis and tried to pull it out.

The memory resisted moving past the surface of the water as if it had turned solid. “Memories,” Alex muttered to herself. “Those must be memories.”

That made the most sense. Vardis had told Alex they were connected psychically. The extent of the connection hadn’t been explained, but Alex could see it was strong enough to drag her from her dreams into Vardis’ mind.

Which meant the alien, in all likelihood, had no idea she was walking around in his subconscious.

The lab. There had been something important in the lab, something about the scrolls Vardis was working on.

Alex felt like she could make sense of the messages if she were only able to get closer. All she had to do was navigate through Vardis’ dreams.

Maybe there was something in them that would springboard Alex to that particular memory.

Alex plunged her hands back into the red liquid before her as the sky darkened with clouds. All around her, houses began to spring up as if they were flowers, building themselves in a series of ornate circles. The structures were circular and diminutive.

As Alex fished around, she tried to focus on what she’d seen when she’d first entered the dream. Vardis had been standing over some kind of table. The surrounding details were fuzzy, but Alex had the feeling that the room was in a science department or something like that, or maybe a medbay. She was certain the memory was from this planet.

Something bit Alex’s hand, and she quickly pulled it back and held it to her chest. Along with her hand came a memory, which evaporated as soon as it left the water.

As the memory around Alex started to shift and crumble, the red suns cracking down the middle, and the earth trembling, she peered into the lake.

She could see a child’s version of Vardis’ face floating to the top of the water, its eyes black and empty—a curled fetus, tail hugging its body.

As Alex tried to peer more closely, the liquid began to drain from the lake. Walls shot up out of the ground, separating hallway from hallway until Alex found herself in a military base not too different from the Nest, although more technologically advanced.

Aliens who looked like Vardis were running down the corridor, rushing past Alex without noticing her.

Either these memory people couldn’t see her, or they didn’t think there was anything strange about her. Either way, she was free to move about as she liked.

Alex followed the aliens, running to keep up with them and appreciating that stamina didn’t matter in a dream.

They stopped at a door, one of them reaching out and resting his hand on a panel at the side. The door slid open, and the aliens stepped in.

Alex slipped into the room behind them.

The aliens walked farther into the room, then stopped and talked among themselves. Vardis stood in the distance, hunched over a table.

He was looking at the same scroll as before, and she could see the shard next to his hand.

Alex got closer to the aliens, placing her head between the two of them as they spoke. After a few seconds, she could understand them—not the words, more like pictures against the back of her head, which explained everything and more.

The aliens were afraid.

They were terrified of whatever Vardis had created. They had heard about it and been told about his ambitions, but they hadn’t thought it could be done.

The kin were not to be trusted.

It was as simple as that. There had never been anything more terrifying and horrible than the kin—until the Dark One came.

Alex wasn’t certain what the kin were. Vardis had given her a brief explanation, but the way these aliens were acting made it seem as if the beasts were something much more complex than Vardis had alluded to.

And much more dangerous.

The two aliens flanking her discussed whether to kill Vardis right there. If he succeeded in his experiments, there was no telling how dangerous the kin might be. But then, he was trying to create a weapon to defeat the Dark One. Maybe they just weren’t opening their eyes wide enough.

Vardis turned, and Alex leaped out of his line of sight. He didn’t seem to notice her anyway. He was too busy crying. “The Dark One will destroy all of us. You know that, don’t you?” Vardis whimpered to his colleagues. “If we don’t find a way to kill him, he’ll wipe out everything in the universe.”

One of the aliens stepped forward to reason with the scientist. “Yes, but the kin? Given everything they’ve destroyed, you would inflict that pain on our world again?”

As the aliens spoke, Alex snuck to the table, standing on the opposite side of it as Vardis talked. Alex looked down at the manuscript next to the shard. She didn’t understand what it said in a literal sense, but she was hit with all the emotions and disjointed thoughts that Vardis must have had about it.

There would be time to make sense of it later. Somehow, she knew it would be easier after she woke up from Vardis’ dream. And how long is that going to take? she thought.

As Alex turned, preparing to leave, Vardis turned and saw her. The tone in the dream instantly changed. It was like all of the heat and air in the room had been sucked out.

Vardis screamed, pointing at Alex, sending her flying through the wall as the construct of the dream started to break down around her. For a moment, she flew through stars, then through walls, then through the crevices of her own mind. Guess he knows I’m here, Alex thought to herself. Wonder how long it’s going to take for him to find me.

Chapter Two

Alex was flying through the blackness, watching Vardis racing toward her. For some reason, she wasn’t concerned. The universe around her stretched too far and Vardis was so distant. Alex realized there was probably something in play that was keeping her from being overwhelmed by a sense of danger.

She knew this was a dangerous situation. Vardis’ mind would be a powerful place. But it looked as if he were just as confused by what was happening as Alex was. Maybe if he had been better prepared, he would have been able to muster a stronger attack.

For the time being, Alex was going to use this surprise to her advantage. She wasn’t sure if she could pull herself out of Vardis’ dream, leaving him to wake up confused, thinking that he’d been dreaming about the human. It wasn’t like Alex had gone out of her way to sneak into the alien’s dreams.

Besides, once she was out, she knew she would be able to understand the manuscript Vardis had been working on.

The blackness around her felt like a shrine. It was getting deeper and deeper as Vardis was getting further and further away. The alien couldn’t catch up with Alex.

Alex closed her eyes, trying to wretch herself from Vardis’ dream. It wasn’t happening. She was still stuck in the alien’s dreams.

Vardis was nowhere to be seen. Alex figured if she couldn’t get herself out of Vardis’ dreams, then she might as well explore and see what else she could find. The process shouldn’t have been much harder than pulling one of Vardis’ memories from the pond.

The problem was Alex didn’t know where to start. She knew that the blackness she was floating through probably meant something, but she had no idea. The book on dream interpretation she’d been reading seemed very far away, the ideas foreign and incomprehensible.

Then the blackness receded as if Vardis’ mind had heard Alex’s complaints about not understanding anything.

Alex was no longer in the dark of Vardis’ mind. He must have slipped deeper into sleep, conjuring a new place for Alex to wander through. She was back on the planet with the red suns. It must have been Vardis’ home planet.

She was in a field much like the one she’d seen earlier. But there were no buildings this time, no lake. Instead, a place in the field where the grass had been cut down low. Geometric patterns had been carved into the dirt, and the grooves filled with a red kind of liquid.

Alex walked up to the bald spot in the grass and stared at the patterns. They made sense, but only in the same kind of primitive way that reading over Vardis’ shoulders had. Alex gathered what was important. This was a bad place, and it was a place of her own creation.

She looked down at her hands. They were covered in blood, and when she touched her forehead, she felt the blood there as well. Alex looked sideways and saw there were aliens standing next to her. All of them with blood on their hands and foreheads.

The three aliens gathered around the patterns in the dirt, motioning for Alex to follow them. She did as she was told. There was nothing else to do. She had to know what was happening.

The four of them all bowed their heads and closed their eyes before humming came from them.

Dread gripped Alex. They were calling something, something that should never be called. Their voices cast into the darkness, going forth into a place that touched the brink of Alex’s mind, even here, deep within Vardis’ dream.

This was a memory and yet so much more. A deep blooded connection that ran through Vardis and could never be forgotten. How he had come to this knowledge, Alex did not know. But it extended beyond the simple framework of waking and sleeping.

The aliens stared up into the sky as they sang softly, Alex singing along with them, uncertain of how she knew the song but certain she’d never forget.

The sky darkened, clouds gathering and lightning casting bright flashes of brightness throughout the field.

A creature loomed in the hefty weight of the clouds, a creature so large that it took up the entire sky, its bright eyes, thousands upon millions of them staring out from the dark, searching and searching until they found what they were looking for.

Alex could feel the creature’s eyes rolling over her body, sliding into every pore, cutting her mind open from the inside. She would have screamed if she remembered how. But that was not why she was here. That wasn’t why any of them were here.

The aliens at her side weren’t bothered by the unknowable creature up above. They regarded it with the coolness of scientists. They were busy taking notes, occasionally looking up at the sky and commenting on what they saw.

Then one of the aliens pulled a red shard from a bag and placed it in the middle of the patterns drawn into the ground.

The creature above shrieked as a bright light peeled through the sky, turning everything white for a second. A red tornado shot up from the shard, sucking in all of the eyes that peered down on the aliens and Alex, yanking them from their celestial place, and shoving them into the red shard in the middle of the balding spot of the field.

Once the sky returned to normal, the three aliens spoke among themselves, motioning to Alex to come closer and check out the shard. Alex could see billions of eyes staring out at her from the shard.

One of the aliens held the shard out to Alex. “Eaters of worlds,” the alien said slowly. “Caught easily enough. We should hold on to this one just in case we have to use it.”

Then the scene changed.

Alex was standing in a laboratory. Vardis was there, but he was in a meeting with a handful of aliens of his kind. They were seated at a table, poring over notes. The red shard was in the middle of the table.

Vardis stood and cleared his throat. He pointed to a screen playing behind him. But it wasn’t quite a screen. It looked as if the screen were floating in the air but had no tangible existence. “As you can see from the projection, we could use the Old One as a weapon. It is a creature, just like any other. Matter and material. A nearly infinite source of matter. By using the changes I want to implement to its holding shard, we could create completely new creatures from the Old One. An infinite army.”

The aliens talked back and forth with each other, trying to come to a consensus. Alex could feel the tension in the room and she hid in the back, trying to keep from being seen by the scientist. She wanted to see how this all played out.

One of the aliens stood, anger radiating from his body. “You realize what you’re saying, don’t you? How much energy that would take? It could—”

Vardis raised his hand to silence the alien. “Drain an entire planet of its energy. Yes. We would, in essence, be using a devourer to stop another devourer. The only difference is that ours will remain chained up. A war is not won without sacrifice.”

Another of the aliens jumped to his feet. “You’re insane!”

The alien closest to Vardis stood and clapped his hand on Vardis’ shoulder. “No, he’s a genius! Who else would have thought this up? It’s all theoretical anyway. But it’s good to know that we have the possibility. An Elder One against the Dark One. Genius, pure genius.”

Vardis didn’t look happy with the praise. He was staring at the red shard, its hue reflected in the darkness of his eyes.

One of the aliens began speaking, but all his words came out backward. He climbed onto the table and started dancing, his legs jerking back and forth while he bopped up and down, occasionally pumping his hands.

Vardis rubbed his brow as if he were embarrassed for the alien on the table. “Please, Devardra, not now. I’m trying to study.”

The alien stopped, his head tilting back as he leaned back, his spine snapping as his hands touched the table. “But you never want to dance with me!”

The table shattered into a thousand pieces as the walls grew soft and hairy and then long and silky, draining down into the floor as Vardis paced back and forth, finally reaching out and grabbing the shard and retreating away from the table as the other alien continued to dance upon the table like some mad imp.

Alex blinked, and everything was different.

She was standing in a city, not so different from the archival footage she’d seen of a mission that had taken place in an area of Middang3ard that had been taken over by the Dark One. The buildings stretched high into the sky.

The tech in the city was amazing. Every building was sleek and seemed to have been poured from a material Alex had yet to see. But the streets were empty.

No, that wasn’t right. They weren’t empty. Dead bodies were everywhere.

In the cars. In the buildings. Piled high in the fountain. Blood was flowing.

Vardis was kneeling down in front of a fountain filled with the bodies of his people. He was weeping quietly. The shard was in his hand.

Alex would never have thought Vardis had been capable of this.

The shard and Vardis’ hand were covered in blood. As Alex got closer, she could see the faces of the aliens in the fountain. She had to step over the bodies of dozens of other aliens just to get close.

Anger welled up in Alex. This was what Vardis was planning on doing to her world? To Middang3ard? How could he do this to a whole planet again? “You’re not doing this to my world!” Alex shouted.

Vardis jumped up, clutching the shard to his chest. “Do what? I didn’t do this. I would never do this.” He looked around at the damage, at the bodies lining the streets, their eyes upturned to the sky, the bloodstains that seemed to be everywhere. “He did this.”

Vardis stumped forward, his eyes wide and frantic. He didn’t let go of the shard, but with his free hand, he pointed at the sky. “He did it.” Then Vardis fell to his knees, weeping louder than before. “I’m not letting it happen again. Never again.”

The alien slashed out with his hand, sending a telekinetic blast at Alex. It hit her square in the chest, sending her flying through the air.

Vardis was up again, his feet slightly levitating off the ground as he floated toward Alex. “He will never do this again.”

Chapter Three

Alex and Vardis stared each other down as they began to circle each other. She wasn’t sure what kind of weapons were going to be available to her.

This was a dream, after all. And one that wasn’t of her creation.

If Vardis was able to pull all of this out of his memory without realizing it, what was going to keep him from being able to handicap Alex?

But Alex was still partially in her mind too.

She wasn’t a passive part of this dream, being acted upon in ways over which she had no control. Originally, she’d been interested in what Vardis had been reading in the lab. Now she knew what it was about but had an even larger concept of what Vardis was capable of causing.

Then a thought crossed Alex’s mind. What if this wasn’t even him? Not Vardis as she had been used to him, aware and active. These could just be memories he was living through. There was a chance he wasn’t even aware she was in his dreams.

Alex raised her hand. “Wait, what are you not going to let happen again?”

Vardis surged forward, ignoring her question. Alex felt herself lifting into the air. Guess Vardis was aware enough to fight.

Alex went flying again, caught in the throes of Vardis’ psychic attack. It was a shame she wasn’t a telekinetic as well. Wait, Alex thought. I wasn’t telepathic until I met Chine, and I wasn’t that strong a telepath until Vardis connected me with him.

She pushed aside any thoughts of what she was or wasn’t capable of. Besides, this was a dream. Alex had done stranger things in them.

As she flew through the air, Alex twisted around to see Vardis heading toward her. She concentrated, tried to feel the flow of energy around her—the physical manifestation of Vardis’ will. Then she pushed out with her own.

Alex didn’t stop, but she slowed down. She pushed again, imagining a giant hand around her body, prying Vardis’ grip off her.

Suddenly, Alex hit the floor.

Vardis stopped in his tracks. “How did you do that?”

Alex reached out to draw her scythe, then noticed she wasn’t wearing her anchor. Maybe it didn’t matter. She imagined a psychic scythe and flicked it into existence. “I’m a quick learner.”

Vardis raised his hand, a ball of telekinetic energy forming in his palm. “Maybe too quick for your own good.” He threw it.

Alex flung up her hand, imagining a shield around her body.

The ball exploded, pushing Alex into the floor. She had almost felt the force of the attack. The shield had absorbed a lot, but she was not nearly as strong as Vardis was, not yet at least. She’d have to make sure not to rely on one trick.

Alex shook off the attack and sprinted forward, holding her scythe out, and leaped, landing behind Vardis. When she swung her scythe, the alien stepped out of the way, raised his hand, and shot a blast at Alex, who was barely able to throw up a shield in time.

The two stood there toe to toe, blasting each other. Vardis was easily able to deflect Alex’s attacks. Her attempts weren’t doing much either. Vardis easily waved them away. More than one trick, Alex thought to herself before dropping to one knee fast and slicing at Vardis’ legs.

The scythe cut through Vardis’ body, separating his ankle from his leg. He screamed in pain as he cupped his hands and sent a telepathic blast at Alex.

The blast hit hard, knocking Alex off her feet.

Vardis screamed as the world around him began to break apart again.

Alex thought she was ready for it this time. She held up her hand, trying to deflect the next attack.

The world slanted, and when it righted itself, Alex was on an operating table.

Vardis stood over her, holding a saw and wearing a nurse’s smock. “We’re going to cut you up!” He slammed the saw into Alex’s chest.

Alex screamed in pain as she felt the saw tearing through her skin, cutting through her sternum. Instinctively, she raised her hand and sent out a blast that threw Vardis across the room.

When Alex looked down at her chest, it was bleeding but not enough to kill her. A couple of seconds more, and Alex would have been dead on the table. If this were real life, this wound would have killed her. Maybe it was better not to think about it too much.

Vardis came flying from the side of the room, two saws in hand. He tackled Alex, sending her into the wall, and the two of them struggled to get to each other as the room rotated.

Alex flung a psychic blast that knocked Vardis off of her. He slashed at her back as they scrambled to get to their feet. She took a step forward and fell into a huge puddle.

Vardis stood above her. He raised his hands and Alex floated out of the water, enclosed in a giant bubble. She grasped her throat, trying to breathe before pulling out her scythe and slicing through the bubble. “Are you planning to destroy our world like you did your own?”

Vardis said nothing. He merely flipped Alex over and chopped her in the back of the neck. He was faster than she was here. Made sense. It was Vardis’ dream. He had the home team advantage.

Alex was going to have to figure something out quickly.

Chine, that was it! The dragon was in the waking world, but despite that, his connection with Alex was strong. Maybe even stronger now that Alex had started to come into her own as a telepath.

Alex reached out to the dragon, focusing her thoughts and directing them toward him. The gist of the sentiment was, “Help!” As she sent her telepathic SOS, she flipped back onto her feet, pulled the psychic scythe out again, and slashed at Vardis, forcing the alien back.

He stumbled away from Alex. It was an opening and Alex took it, rushing forward and slicing at Vardis again, forcing him to retreat as he tossed up a psychic shield. Alex didn’t relent. She threw attack after attack at him until the alien raised his hands and screamed, sending Alex flying as the structure of the dream started to shift again.

This time Alex concentrated on where she wanted to go. She imagined the lab where she’d first seen Vardis hunched over a scroll, but this time, Alex made sure he wasn’t there.

The open sky transformed into the walls of the lab, and Alex was now standing in front of the table on which the scroll lay open. Vardis was nowhere to be seen.

Alex started reading. She had no idea what the scribbles on the page said, but she knew the meaning behind them. They were notes on the shard, on how it operated and how to destroy it. Alex was certain she’d remember all this once she got out of the dream. She’d be able to piece it together in the real world.

“What are you doing?”

Alex spun to see Vardis standing on the threshold of the lab. He raised his hands and powered up another psychic blast.

Before he could fire, the walls of the lab burst open, sending debris everywhere as Chine forced his way in, ether fire spouting of out his mouth as the rider ran to him.

Vardis projected a shield, blocking the fire.

Alex climbed onto her dragon’s back. “We need to get out of here! How do we do that?”

Chine’s eyes narrowed on Vardis. “It is his dream. We must wake him up.” With that, Chine barreled toward Vardis and snatched the alien and his shield in his mouth.

Alex leaped off Chine’s back and landed on his snout. She pulled out her scythe and started to hack at the shield the alien was trembling behind.

The shield burst like a balloon, and Vardis was suspended in the air for a second before he was consumed by the ether flames Chine fired.

Vardis screamed in rage and pain as he launched one more attack at Alex, a sort of psychic buzz saw. The blast hit her in the shoulder, and she toppled off the dragon’s back as she gripped her wound.

Alex hit the floor hard. She tried to get up, but she was tangled in something. She wiped her hair out of her face and saw that she was in her bedroom, on the floor, wrapped in her blankets. That was interesting.

When Alex finally made it out of her blankets, she winced in pain. She took off her shirt and saw she was bleeding from cuts on her chest and her shoulder. They weren’t as deep as they had been in the dream, but they were substantial.

Alex wondered if Vardis was going to be taking home any scars.

Chapter Four

Alex’s alarm went off, blaring loudly. She grabbed her dragon anchor and slipped it over her wrist as she stood. The pain in her chest and shoulder immediately got worse. Even though they were only surface wounds, they hurt as badly as they had when she was in Vardis’ dream.

She looked down at the wound across her sternum before gingerly touching it. There was a lot of blood. It was going to need to be taken care of before she left for her pickup to return to Middang3ard. There was no way her parents were going to let her out of the house if she was bleeding through her clothes.

Alex grabbed a robe from her closet and peeked out of her bedroom. No one was in the hall. She made a run for the bathroom across from her room and locked the door.

The medicine cabinet was always overstocked. Her father was something of a germaphobe and her mother was a worrier, always thinking of the worst-case scenario. That meant they not only had tons of antiseptic but also a robust first aid kit that would put most military medical units to shame.

Alex found the kit under the sink. The antiseptics were in the medicine cabinet.

Luckily, Alex had paid close attention to her classes that dealt with wounds in the field. The armor she wore while riding protected her from most weapon and plasma attacks, but there was only so far armor could go. Alex had found that out firsthand when her arm had been taken off.

The class had offered detailed explanations of how to deal with a variety of combat wounds, accompanied by a demo on a lifelike prosthetic. Alex had practiced more than anyone else after losing her arm.

Cuts and gashes had been the first level of injury they’d studied. Needless to say, Alex had practiced enough that disinfecting her wounds and dressing them herself wasn’t going to be a problem. That didn’t mean it wasn’t going to hurt.

She took a deep breath as she prepared herself for the sting of the alcohol, then tossed it on her chest and her shoulder, wincing and inhaling sharply as the wounds exploded in red pain. Then she dabbed them with one of the towels hanging from the sink before rinsing them again.

Once Alex was satisfied the wounds were clean, she opened the first aid kit and located a pair of latex gloves, a needle, and some thread. She put on the gloves and started with her shoulder, trying to ignore the pain and focus on the needle going in and out of her skin. She drew the thread tight and tied off the sutures. That was the easier one.

Next, she got started on her chest, following the same process, albeit slower than before, stopping from time to time to catch her breath before dousing the gash with more disinfectant and starting to sew again. It took her about thirty minutes; her instructors would have been impressed. The wounds had been closed very nicely. She could get the stitches removed on the base in a few days.

Then Alex bandaged herself, making sure to use enough gauze that if the wounds started bleeding again, the blood wouldn’t make it through the fabric of her shirt. Once she was done, she brushed her teeth and wiped herself down.

She went back to her bedroom, got dressed, and checked through the regular messages on her anchor. Apparently, there was a problem at the base, and the chauffeur who was to have picked Alex up wasn’t going to make it. She was going to have to walk to the meeting point designated by the base. Alex groaned in irritation. Napping in the back of a car sounded great. Putting strain on her body sounded terrible.

But she was also looking to see if there had been any updates about anything happening at the base. She still wasn’t certain if Vardis had been aware that she’d been in his dream. She only vaguely remembered what had happened.

Until it all hit, rushing back at her with the force of a tidal wave. Alex remembered everything: the fights, the shifting memories, all of it. Most importantly, Alex remembered what she’d read on Vardis’ notes.

The weapon had never been used.

All the destruction Alex had seen in Vardis’ memories had been done by the Dark One’s forces. That was only the beginning of what the Dark One was capable of.

Alex had heard of the situation on the gnomish planet. It didn’t seem to be nearly as bad as what Vardis’ people had experienced. With Middang3ard, the Dark One seemed more interested in absorbing and reprogramming the different races of the nine realms. This was the first time Alex had seen the flat-out destruction the Dark One was capable of.

Further, Alex had not expected the Dark One to be so ruthless. She had assumed there was meaning or desire behind the havoc he wreaked, but having seen streets full of dead people, she wondered if the Dark One was a psychopath with dimensional powers. No rational creature would delight in dealing out that much destruction.

Another thing Alex remembered was that the notes had included a way to stop the weapon.

Yet that was an odd memory.

She couldn’t think of how to turn off the weapon, but much like in the dream, she was certain she would know what to do when the time came.

That left Alex feeling unprepared and uncomfortable. She didn’t want to trust a vague notion, but there was nothing else she could do. Most of what she’d read she remembered verbatim, even though she didn’t understand the alien language. Why was that part hidden from her?

Just because no one in Boundless had messaged Alex about anything happening at the base didn’t mean Vardis wasn’t suspicious. She messaged each team member individually, asking if they had seen or spoken with the alien.

Jollies was the first to reply. She let Alex know she and Vardis had eaten breakfast together, and there didn’t seem to be anything wrong. He was excited to get back to Middang3ard, implement the weapon, and finally get rid of the Dark One.

Alex carefully phrased her response, making sure not to give the pixie anything to worry about. Then she got dressed and went downstairs.

Both of Alex’s parents were in the kitchen, working on breakfast together. They looked up when they saw her, their faces grim for a moment before they each forced a smile. “You sleep okay?” Claire asked as Alex took a seat at the kitchen nook.

Alex shuffled the newspapers that were on the counter. “Yeah, why?”

“We heard you screaming last night. A lot.”

George came over and took a seat next to Alex. He hugged her tightly. “You know you can talk to us, right? We know everything you’re going through is kind of a lot. We’re always here for you.”

Alex caught her father looking at her robotic hand. She covered it with her sweater and took a sip of the orange juice in front of her. “Yeah, I know. There’s not much to talk about. We’re getting closer to destroying the Dark One, and once that’s done, life goes back to normal.”

“Is it dangerous? What you have to do?”

Alex thought about telling her parents the truth. Maybe this was the time, or maybe there would never be a time. Just because her parents were somewhat familiar with the workings of Middang3ard due to VR, it didn’t mean they were ready to deal with the rest of her life.

It hurt that she was hiding something from them, but she knew it was best. The worries that her parents could dream up in their heads were nothing compared to what Alex had to face daily. Best to leave them to their own devices.

Alex put on her best convincing smile. “Nope. This is the easiest thing I’ll ever do. And before you know it, the war will be over.”

George sighed with relief as Claire motioned for him to come back to the stove to give her a hand.

The rest of the morning was the most normal Alex had had for quite some time. She ate and joked with her parents as if there were no war. It felt like she’d never left, and she was starting to wish she didn’t have to.

When Alex had first gone to Middang3ard, it was to ride a dragon. Sure, she knew there was a war going on and had seen a bit of what it had consisted of, but it wasn’t the draw.

She couldn’t believe how naïve she’d been only a couple of months ago. She felt like a completely different person now. She had a whole new set of priorities, worrying about her team and the rest of the nine realms. Riding was incidental to fighting.

When they finished the meal, Alex helped clean up and do the dishes. No one talked much. It was as if the illusion of normalcy was over. Once the dishes were done, Alex was going off to continue fighting a war.

Afterward, Alex drifted into the living room, trying to memorize each detail. She’d grown up in this house and had only seen it once or twice. She didn’t want to forget how it looked.

Claire came up behind Alex and wrapped her arms around her daughter. “We love you, and we’re very proud of you.”

Alex squeezed her mom’s hand and said, “I know. I love you too.”

George came over and joined the hug. They stood holding each other for some time in silence, each of them no doubt trying to dream up scenarios where Alex came back home to them, unharmed and happy.

But the rider knew those were only hopes. She would have to make sure they came true. Otherwise, she was going to leave behind two broken parents in the chaos the realms would be in. She felt like she’d be more responsible for that pain than anyone else.

Chapter Five

Alex headed for the military base. The coordinates had been loaded onto her dragon anchor, and it wasn’t too far away. She was surprised she’d never heard there was a military base so close to her house, but it made sense.

Neither of her parents would have cared, and a few months ago, she wouldn’t have either.

The walk was interesting. Alex had only seen her neighborhood from a car, speeding off to her first mission.

She’d never walked down the street in a leisurely fashion and looked around. Simple things like that never failed to impress her.

Much of her life now was insane. She rarely got to stop and appreciate the small miracle of being able to see. For much of her life, she had existed in darkness, but here was a world full of light and beauty. It was something she needed to stop and appreciate more.

Alex took her time, intentionally ignoring the GPS directions her anchor gave that would have had her walking along main streets. She favored the smaller, more pleasant streets.

A cottage covered in pink and blue wildflowers like something out of a fairytale was extremely out of place in the suburban landscape.

An old man was sitting on the porch, playing fetch with his dog. The man was too old to stand to retrieve the ball from his dog, and the dog was too young to care.

Two young lovers were sitting in a park, enjoying a picnic and speaking quietly to each other.

When Alex saw those last two, her heart clenched. It had only been a day or two ago that she and Jim had been out on a picnic together. That had ended quickly enough. Since then, she’d hardly had a moment to share a word with him. She knew he understood. He was just as caught up in everything as she was.

She wanted to be out on a date with Jim right now. To be anywhere with him, doing anything other than the mission on hand. Something about this felt much heavier than anything she’d faced to date. Sitting down in quiet peace next to Jim would have been vastly preferable.

There would be time for that once the Dark One was defeated. They could go on to their normal lives. But what if there wasn’t a life for Jim and Alex after this? What if they’d only been brought together by the sheer ludicrousness of the war and, when it was over, they had nothing left? There had hardly been time to get to know each other in the past month.

Or maybe they knew each other better than Alex would admit. They’d been fighting alongside each other for months, in VR and in real life. They’d seen parts of each other that Alex didn’t even know existed within her.

Alex realized she’d stopped walking and was staring at the couple, who only now noticed her. She looked down at her anchor and continued walking.

Now that the war could come to an end, Alex entertained what life might be like after the Dark One was taken care of.

Was she going to go back to being homeschooled?

She couldn’t think of anything more anticlimactic, but that was what happened to everyone after a war.

Once WWII was over, her grandfather had come back to the States and started working at a tire shop.

Part of Alex felt guilty for resenting this idea already. She didn’t want to go back to living a normal life after experiencing what it was like to be a hero. That felt selfish, but Alex couldn’t ignore it. She’d found out she was a warrior. What would she do after the fight was over?

Alex remembered the Dark One’s words and promises.

He had said that he could make her and all of Boundless rulers of this world. And other worlds, too.

Ruling didn’t appeal to Alex, but the idea of continuing to be somebody who mattered stuck in her mind. She didn’t want to go back to being nobody.

Yeah, trust the words of a madman, Alex thought.

She didn’t know why she was letting herself entertain the idea. A bargain with the Dark One would be selling her soul, and she couldn’t really think that was an option after the atrocities she’d seen him commit.

Yet there was the fear.

Alex knew she had to destroy the weapon.

She knew what it was capable of doing to the world, to the nine realms.

Yet, if she destroyed the weapon, she’d be doing what the Dark One wanted. There had to be a way to destroy him along with the weapon.

As Alex turned the corner, she realized she was not only thinking in circles but also walking in them. She’d seen Vardis’ notes and sorted through his memories. If the weapon was used, it would be catastrophic. Unfortunately, nothing was ever that easy.

Alex needed someone to talk this through with, but all of her options seemed terrible. She focused her thoughts toward Chine. Hey, buddy, you there?

A rush of Chine’s emotions hit Alex as he answered, Dustling, I have been worried about you since the dream. Are you all right?

She knew Chine cared enough about her to worry, but it still warmed Alex’s heart. It was the same with her parents. Yeah, I’m okay. Still a little shook up about everything that happened. It was a lot to take in.

Your telepathy has grown so strong. I wouldn’t have thought you were skilled enough to project yourself into Vardis’ dreams, let alone call me into them as well.

What do you mean, call you into them? I just sent a message.

An image of Chine smiling the way only dragons could flashed through Alex’s mind. No, you did more than call me. You drew me from my own dreams into a dream space you and Vardis shared. Even among dragons, only our oldest and most skilled are capable of supporting a space with that many dreamers. I still am a little impressed.

Alex found she was in a park. She must have lost track of where she was going. Instead of setting out again, she walked over to a bench and took a seat. Do you think he knew we were in there? In his dreams?

Chine took a moment to answer. That is a good question. Generally, no, he shouldn’t have. What you fought within those dreams was not Vardis. It was a projection of his unconscious mind. But that is how it works for dragons and the rest of the sentients in the nine realms. Vardis is from a different dimension, so his mind might work differently than ours.

Alex realized the park she was sitting in was the same park in which she’d been watching the couple. They were staring at her now. She thought it best to start moving again. Do you know what he’s up to? Vardis?

He has hidden his thoughts and feelings from me since he arrived at the Nest. I didn’t think it was suspicious at the time because it is a habit all telepaths have when meeting new people, but his defenses are high. I’ve never been certain of where he is or what he is doing.

Alex checked her GPS again and headed in the direction of the military base. She still had at least another half an hour to walk.

It dawned her that this was the longest time she’d been alone in a while. It was the longest she’d walked by herself without one of her parents nearby.

You ever get tired of always being around people? she asked Chine.

He chuckled, a rich and hearty sound. Why would you ask that?

I don’t know. I figured you might feel like me sometimes—always having to do things for other people, never getting a moment to yourself. When you do, it’s like you can’t even enjoy it.

My perspective might be different from yours. Dragons, for most of our lives, are very social. It isn’t until we are older and near the end of our lives that we live in solitude, usually away from the dragon realms, doing everything in our power to keep others from finding where our enclave is. It is those dragons, the elders who choose to spend time all alone, who fill the legends and lore of humans.

So, you wish you were around more dragons?

Chine chuckled again, the warmth absent this time and a hint of bitterness taking its place. I have made peace with the sacrifices that must be made until the Dark One is defeated, but yes. Yes, I am often lonely. It is good to be with the dragons from the Boundless, but my family and friends are growing old without me. There are few things that can ease that pain.

Alex thought about what he had said, taking her time. The dragon was right; it was a different perspective.

She enjoyed the closeness she was developing with the members of her team. They were as tightly knit as family, and she loved that.

Alex crossed the street, running to make it before the light changed. She was almost at the base.

There was a sigh in her mind, followed by Chine’s voice. Dustling, you are going to have to make the most important decision of your life soon.

Alex stopped and looked at the sun above her. Clouds were starting to gather, blocking the light. You mean, destroying the shard?

The dragon’s face shone in front of Alex for a second. Only you know what you’ve learned. Those around you—your family, the Boundless, the Nest—will understand your decision, whatever it is. They trust you. Perhaps you should have faith in that trust.

You know, your wisdom makes it really hard to have teenage angst.

It is why dragons are partnered with young mortals. We even you out.

It was good talking to you, Chine. I’ll see you in a bit.

You as well, Dustling.

Alex spent the rest of her walk thinking through what he had said. There were a lot of things to take into consideration, but the dragon was right.

Myrddin and the Nest trusted her.

She needed to believe in that trust.

It was kind of funny. There’d been a moment earlier in the day when Alex had been worried about adjusting to not being special anymore. Then, the moment she started talking to the dragon, all she could talk about was the stress of that weight.

Things seemed to make a little more sense now, even if they weren’t clear, just a cloudy, amorphous blob of emotions. They weren’t bad emotions, and deep down, Alex knew what she had to do: the weapon had to be destroyed. There would be other ways to get rid of the Dark One. Alex didn’t know what they were going to be, but she was certain they’d figure them out.

The base was no more than a block ahead. Most of the houses were empty. Alex figured that was the only way a top-secret military base could have been plopped down in the middle of her town without anyone noticing it. The whole town was probably a shell. Talk about a coincidence.

Or was it?

Alex had never thought about how Myrddin had known to watch her through VR. She’d been playing for years. Just how long had she been a subject of interest to Myrddin and the Nest?

As Alex let these thoughts play out in her head, she started walking near a convoy of military SUVs. There’s no way all this could have been built just to watch me.

She heard a loud click like the sound of a door being unlocked very loudly. It came from the convoy. She looked in the direction of the sound, seeing an SUV’s rear hatch open.

A glowing white orb fell out the back of the SUV. What the hell is that? Alex thought.

Then the orb brightened and there was a loud screech as it exploded outward.

The last thing Alex saw was the brightness of the light as she felt her body rising into the air.

Then all was black.

Chapter Six

Alex woke up in the med-bay of the military base, nurses all around her. They were treating her wounds and Alex instinctively reached out to push them away. They fell to the floor

She looked down at her hands, caught off guard by what she had done. Alex had assumed that the telekinesis she’d experienced in Vardis’ dream was limited to dreams.

Obviously, that assumption was wrong.

The nurses got back on their feet, undeterred by Alex pushing them away. They got back to work, wielding Nest healing devices.

Alex’s body was covered in minor cuts and bruises, and the nurses were working hard at treating them. The wounds on her chest and shoulder from the dream had already been attended to.

Once the nurses stopped bustling about, Alex was able to ask one of them what happened. The nurse explained that the base had been under attack. Multiple bombs on their convoy of supplies had detonated. It was assumed by the upper brass that there was a double agent somewhere in the base who had given away the delivery time.

Alex bit her tongue and didn’t say anything about Vardis.

If she was going to talk to someone about this, it was going to be much higher up the chain. Vardis could be dangerous. If that attack had come from him, there was no telling how many people he was willing to put at risk for his goals.

But Alex already knew how many people Vardis would risk: an entire universe. What were a few measly human soldiers in the grand scheme of his plans?

As the nurses prepared to leave, one of them leaned over Alex and whispered in her ear, “We took care of your other wounds too. They should heal pretty well. Be safe out there.”

Alex didn’t know what to say, so she merely nodded and smiled, muttering a quiet thank you. Once the nurses were gone, she sat up, preparing to get out of bed.

A loud beep came from her dragon anchor. She looked down at it and saw there was an incoming call from Abby. Alex picked up and said, “Hello?”

Abby’s face shone brightly on the anchor. “Hey! How’s it— Oh, crap, what happened to you?”

Alex brought the anchor closer to her face so that Abby couldn’t see the extent of the wounds. “Oh, you know, just the usual explosion. Nothing too bad. I should be back on my feet in no time.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re sitting down because I wanted to talk to you about the readings I got from the shard. It looks like there might be some kind of living creature—”

Alex sighed as she shook her head. “A living creature residing within the shard with an unbelievable amount of energy?”

Abby gave Alex a confused look. “Hey, if you don’t need me running experiments on—”

“No, it’s not that. Well, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.”

Alex tried to sum up everything she experienced the night before into a clear, concise statement. That wasn’t happening. “Okay, so I got pulled into the dream of an interdimensional being and walked through all of his memories, and I saw he’s planning on destroying our reality to take out the Dark One with some kind of ancient being that used to plague their planet or something. And now I have telekinesis, and I don’t know how, but my telepathy is also much stronger.” Alex took a deep breath. “Everything is terrible, and I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do, and yeah, it’s all the worst.”

Abby stared at Alex through the anchor screen, her eyes narrow as if she were trying to process everything Alex had said. “Wait, you have telepathy?”

“You’re missing the point!”

“No, I got everything else. Still working through it. Anybody else know about this alien? Or just you?”

Alex shook her head as she shrugged, sending two different meanings. “Well, I mean, Myrddin has his suspicions. And Boundless is pretty much on the same page.”

“So, what’s the big problem? Have Myrddin pull the plug.”

“It’s not that simple. Myrddin still isn’t sure. And I’m only sure as far as I trust dreams, and not even my dream, someone else’s. I can think of a ton of better places to start for proving someone else guilty of wanting to cause interdimensional genocide.”

“Point taken. On another note, how’s the arm holding up?”

Alex looked down at her bionic arm, stretching her fingers out and then making a fist. “Good as the day I got it. Why are you asking?”

Abby pulled up a chart that projected on Alex’s anchor. “You’ve been showing a spike in your body processing draconic fluid. I wanted to make sure you weren’t burning hot or anything. All right, I’ve got to go. You just dropped a lot on me. Gonna try to get that intel to someone who can do something ‘bout it. Stay frosty, snow-girl.”

“Snow-girl?”

“Shut up, I’m not in the DGA because I’m witty. Bye.”

Abby hung up, leaving Alex to her thoughts, which were instantly interrupted by a sarcastic voice saying, “Are you approved for inter-faculty discussions?”

Roy stood in the doorway, gnawing on his cigar. His swagger was a little more tame than usual, no doubt to show that he took Alex’s injuries seriously.

She groaned loudly as she laid back. “Are you kidding me? Am I not allowed to talk to people?”

“Only when it seems like you’re talking about sensitive information. Which I have no doubt you are doing right now.”

Alex leaned over to see if there was anyone behind Roy. “Come in and close the door.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“No.”

Roy stepped into the room and closed the door behind himself. “What do you have for me? Because you’re obviously sharing it with everyone else.”

“It’s not like that. She called me. Abby said she was going to be passing it along to you and Myrddin anyway, but I want you to hear it from me first. I’ve already talked to Boundless about my suspicions about Vardis.”

Roy pulled a seat up to Abby’s bed as he chuckled. “Yeah, you and everyone else. What dirt do you have on the guy?”

Abby couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. “Wait, you make it sound like there are tons of people who don’t trust him.”

“Do you think we’re stupid? We run an interspecies military program that spans nine realms. Of course, no one trusts a guy who just shows up one day and says he has a weapon to kill the Dark One. You have any idea how many insurance scammers Myrddin has had me wade through?”

Alex laughed so hard she had to grab her ribs. “Wait, you’re putting this guy on par with an insurance scam?”

“A scam is a scam. Now, what do you have for me?”

For the second time in ten minutes, Alex had to try to find a way to explain what had happened the night before. Thankfully, she’d practiced with Abby. “Last night, Vardis drew me into one of his dreams via that telepathic link I told Myrddin about. I saw what he was planning to do with the weapon. What it can actually do.”

Roy put his cigar away. “I’m assuming it doesn’t involve needing my social security.”

“No.”

“Good, because I don’t have any. Neither do you, by the way. Myrddin wipes us clean when we sign on, but after this is over, you’re going to have really good credit.”

Alex couldn’t believe Roy was being so flippant. “Are you messing with me, or do you really not care about any of this?”

Roy threw his hands up defensively. “No, no, not at all. I’m not bothered by you telling me that you got information on Vardis from a psychic dream. Honestly, it’s not the weirdest thing I’ve heard today. It might be the most normal thing.”

Alex was surprised. She hadn’t been expecting to hear that, and it was probably the best news she’d gotten all day. “Wait, you believe me?”

“Of course, I believe you. Myrddin already knows you have a weird-ass link with Vardis. Did you think he hadn’t mentioned it to me? One of the first things you learn in PsyOps is that dream-to-dream contact is a valuable form of espionage.”

Alex nearly leaped up at Roy’s words. She hadn’t been expecting to be believed so readily. “So, we can go get him and put a stop to this whole—”

“Hold on. Before you get your hopes up, dreams are the same as most other espionage, which means it needs to be validated. I can’t make decisions based on anything that doesn’t have three or more sources.”

Alex stared at Roy, almost unable to comprehend what he was saying. “You’re telling me we have to sit here and wait until Vardis shows us that he’s trying to destroy the whole universe?”

Roy stood up and ruffled Alex’s hair, which made her want to grab his arm and snap it off. “No, I’m not saying that. What I’m saying is that we’ve got a plan in motion in case Vardis tries anything. Trust me, we’re not going to let him have free rein on this one.”

“Okay, so when do we go?”

Roy looked down at Alex, glancing at her wounds. “You aren’t going anywhere for the time being. Nurses said that you have pretty extensive injuries. Two of those are much more serious than the rest and were patched up before the accident.”

Alex didn’t think she was going to get Roy to budge on the topic and decided to try another tack. “What was that explosion? The one that took me out?”

Roy’s face became serious as he nervously scratched his beard. “We’ve been trying to figure that one out. All we could find was shrapnel, and we’re trying to—

“It came from Vardis. He was responsible.”

Roy laughed uneasily and said, “Okay, I know he is under suspicion, but that doesn’t mean we have to blame him for every single thing that—”

“Trust me, Roy. It was him. He knows what I saw last night, and he wants to keep me from stopping him. What better way than putting me in the hospital so that I can drown in bureaucracy?”

“What? You never even have to touch the paperwork.”

Alex started to get out of bed. Her chest and shoulders still hurt, but they were manageable. “I can’t believe I’m arguing about this with you. You’re not putting me on the sidelines. If Vardis is out there, I’m going to be as well.”

Roy tried to shoo Alex back to her bed. “Hey, hey, hold on. You still need bed rest. You’ve been going nonstop since the last mission, and even I’m starting to think you might need time to recuperate.”

“Are you saying I can’t do my job?”

Roy shook his head as he backed away. “No, I’m saying you’re very high-strung at the moment. This is something we can take care of, so maybe stop trying to hold the world on your shoulders.”

“I’m not stressed out, Roy! There’s—”

Alex was cut off by a siren blaring through the military base. “What’s that?”

Roy pulled up his HUD and scrolled through a few messages. “Shit! The base is under attack.”

“By what?”

Roy looked up for a moment, his eyes searching for an answer. “They don’t know yet. But it looks—”

The lights in the room started to flicker. Alex went to grab her shirt, and her hand stopped moving. She struggled, but nothing happened. Then she was thrown against the wall as if someone had picked her up and tossed her.

Roy stopped in his tracks and stared at her. “What the hell is going on?”

The light fixture from the ceiling ripped off and flew toward Alex, who was barely able to get out of the way in time.

Glass skittered all over the floor as Roy and Alex backed away from the fixture. “Vardis,” Alex growled.

Chapter Seven

The lights went out, and Alex and Roy stood in the darkness.

Another light fixture came flying at Alex, and she jumped to the right, dodging it. “We need to get out of here,” she shouted.

Roy looked around the room as the lights tried to flicker back on. “What’s going on?”

“I have no idea, but I know we can’t stay here to find out.”

Alex hit her dragon anchor, causing her rider armor to pour over her skin. That was better. Now she felt like she was ready to get down to business. She opened and closed her bionic fist as she headed for the door, then whipped it open and stepped forward, Roy close behind her.

They two of them stepped into a lab, the one Alex had seen in Vardis’ dream. The only difference was, this time the lab had five Vardises.

Not aliens of the same species, five Vardises.

Roy drew his pistol and aimed at one of the aliens. “Okay, no. We need to stop now, and you need to tell me what the hell is going—”

Before Roy could finish his sentence, his feet lifted off the ground. His eyes went wide as he flew across the room, hit the wall hard, and crumpled to the floor.

Alex didn’t hesitate. She drew her scythe, aware that the energy was coming from her and not from the dragon anchor. She dove forward, slashing at one of the Vardises, who faded into a white mist when it was hit. She went on the next, managing to catch it with an uppercut before she was gripped by a psychic hand and tossed at Roy.

She smashed into the wall and fell on her back, rolled over, and shook Roy back into consciousness. It was surprising that hitting a wall was enough to knock Roy out. Alex had seen him walk away from injuries that made the psychic attack look like a mosquito bite.

That was what this was. Alex had put it together. Vardis did know that she’d been in his dream. The attack on her way to the military base had only been the first step, the physical aspect. Now the alien was coming for her mind.

He must have drawn them into a psychic realm, or maybe he was projecting his own. Alex had no idea. She’d never been much into comic books. If Jim were here, he probably could have explained the whole thing.

The three remaining versions of Vardis were floating toward Alex, their eyes glowing a piercing white, energy crackling from them.

Alex helped Roy to his feet, the older man looking as if he were ready to pass out again. “You have to get it together, Roy! I need you in this fight. Last time, I hardly got out of here.”

Roy looked at Alex, his face green like he was ready to vomit. Then he straightened up and aimed his pistol. “I’m assuming we’re in trouble or something wants to kill us.”

Alex pointed at the approaching aliens. “Vardis. He wants to kill us.”

Roy leaned over and threw up.

Great, Alex thought.

The three versions of Vardis laughed as they watched Roy retching. “I didn’t think the humans would be so easy to kill,” one of them said.

Another turned to his doppelganger and smiled. “No, neither did—”

A shot rang out and echoed in the lab. Roy fired two more times, not bothering to straighten up while still wiping the bile from his mouth.

Two of the aliens stumbled backward, holding their chests. One sneered. “Foolish human. This is not the physical realm. You—”

Roy coughed loudly and held up his hand, silencing the alien as he straightened up. “Hold on, hold on. Psychic realm and yeah, bullets don’t work, got to—”

He fired three more shots and each hit an alien in the chest, tearing open a hole nearly the size of Alex’s head. They fell to their knees before bursting into white light.

Roy leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath as Alex ran over to him. “How did you do that?” she asked. “That was amazing! I didn’t know you were a psychic.”

The mech rider shook his head as he straightened up, looking as if he were finally acclimating to his new environment. “Not a psychic, but I’ve been doing drills with Myrddin for years. You know, in case someone tries to invade my mind or pull shit like this. Sorry, language, it’ll take a couple of minutes for me to be on top of my game, but I’ll be able to hold my own. Especially if all he’s going to be throwing at us are projections.”

Alex was annoyed that Roy had a better handle on things than she did, even while he was sick to his stomach. She was also happy to have someone around who knew what the hell was going on. “What do you mean, projections?”

Roy stumbled away from the wall and toward the piles of white ash on the ground, pointing at one with his pistol. “Those aren’t Vardis. This whole place—whatever we’re seeing, the whole plane—that’s Vardis. The most he’ll be able to do if he’s planning on keeping us here is send out projections of his subconscious. They’re only a fraction of his strength.”

“How much do you know about this stuff?”

Roy tried to hide his smug smile. “I’ve been fighting the Dark One for a lot longer than it looks like, and I’ve run across my fair share of psychics in the past. As they say, this isn’t my first rodeo. And since we already took care of the projections here, Vardis will probably change things up. Give us a new place to fight and hope we’ll be thrown off by it.”

Alex thought back to Vardis’ dream. That was why the realm had kept jumping locations and time. It had been his mind attempting to get the advantage by confusing Alex with different scenarios. “So, what are we supposed to do?”

Roy was walking around the room as if he didn’t have a care in the world. The disorientation of being in a psychic plane had apparently worn off. “I don’t know, look around? Unless you’ve been here before.”

Alex walked over to the table in the middle of the lab and called Roy over. “In a dream. His dream. This was where I found out about the weapon.” She picked up the scroll and tossed it to Roy.

Roy skimmed through the notes. “Hm, looks like Vardis was a bigshot scientist on his world, and old as hell. This whole project, using the shard for creating kin, was his idea.”

“Wait, you can read that?”

“Yeah, can’t you?”

Roy handed the scroll back to Alex. She took a look and realized she could read the alien writing as easily as if it were braille. “When I was in his dream, I couldn’t read any of this. I studied it for a while too. What changed?”

Roy was wandering around the room again. “He’s probably got more defenses up while he’s dreaming—basic PsyOps training—but his attention is split right now. There’s only so much you can concentrate on at a time.”

The walls of the lab started to shake, then broke apart, allowing light to shine through the cracks. “Looks like we’re moving,” Roy muttered under his breath.

Air shifted from cold and sterile to hot and fetid. Alex struggled to breathe. She felt like she was going to suffocate.

Roy seemed to be in the same situation. His eyes were wild as he looked around, the walls tearing themselves down and the ground roiling.

The room shattered into multiple versions of itself, some small, others larger, like a fun-house mirror. They slammed into each other as Alex and Roy floated through the darkness, which abruptly stopped, then congealed into a new reality.

Alex and Roy stood in what looked like a jungle. It wasn’t similar to anything Alex had seen in her books at the Nest, though. This wasn’t Earth.

Before the two of them was a group of human soldiers. They weren’t wearing Army fatigues. The colors were reminiscent of an elvish sigil Alex had seen at the Nest. “Where are we?”

Roy was muttering under his breath, backing away from the small group of humans. “No,” he muttered.

Alex turned away from the crowd of soldiers to Roy. “Where are we?”

“One of the moons in the elvish cluster. Dorian.”

“What are we doing here?”

Roy’s eyes grew hard and cold as he swallowed and pulled out his cigar. He lit it, and his composure came back. “Vardis is playing mind games. Guess he has access to our memories as well as his. He’s stronger than I thought.”

“This is your memory?”

Roy pointed at the crowd of soldiers with his cigar. “Oh, yeah, this is mine. That’s me over there.” He headed for the soldiers, motioning for Alex to follow him.

The soldiers were crouched around a dead body covered in a white shroud. Alex didn’t recognize Roy’s face in any of the soldiers, not even a younger Roy. “Which one are you?” she asked.

Roy nodded at the body under the shroud. “Right there. Go ahead. They shouldn’t notice you if you do anything.”

Alex wasn’t certain she could, but her hand was moving before she realized it, forced by curiosity. She pulled the shroud back.

A younger Roy stared up at Alex, the side of his face blown off, his jaw hanging loose from his cheekbone. His skull was fractured, blood pooling into his dirty hair. “Oh, my God!” Alex leaned over and threw up, unable to keep her horror in her stomach.

Roy knelt next to his dead body. He held the head up and looked into his own eyes. “Yeah, this one wasn’t fun.” He pulled out his pistol, and before Alex could say anything, shot the soldiers, causing them to burst into white smoke.

Alex screamed and backed away from Roy. “What are you doing? Are you crazy?”

Roy shook his head as he pressed the gun to the younger version of his head. “No, I’m not. He’s trying to mess with my head. Apparently, he thought this would be enough to rattle me. He doesn’t know I know what’s going on, or he hasn’t gone through my memories enough to know this isn’t the first time I’ve seen my dead body. Ain’t gonna rattle me.”

Roy pulled the trigger.

The jungle started to pull apart at the edges as if an earthquake were shaking everything loose.

Alex stared at Roy, looking from his dead face to his living one, which was much more disturbed than he was letting on. “What happened?”

Roy holstered his gun and stood up, watching the jungle around him shrivel, the leaves of the trees falling down en masse, the roots tearing up the earth. “It’s not important, and it’s not a conversation to have sober. That means you still have another six years before you’re going to hear about it unless you get lucky and Vardis finds a useful memory.”

Roy turned his attention to Alex, his eyes as focused and as determined as when he had pulled the trigger on himself. “He’s going to come after you too. That’s why this is all taking so long. He’s looking for ways to break us. Crack the mind and the body follows—oldest rule in the book. Wherever he takes us, remember that it’s not real. Whatever he shows you, it’s a lie, even if you think it’s happened before. He’ll distort it, and you won’t even realize it. Don’t trust anything but me.”

Alex swallowed as she thought of the prospects. “You trust me too, right?”

Roy smiled, and it was a sad sight. “Of course, I trust you. Now get ready.”

Chapter Eight

Alex and Roy woke up in a car.

They were in the backseat, buckled up next to each other. There was a child sitting between them, strapped into a car seat.

There were two people in the front seats, but Alex couldn’t see who they were. She had a strong feeling she knew the people in the front seats and she’d been in this car before, but she couldn’t remember when.

Then the woman driving the car looked back as she made cooing sounds to the child in the car seat. It was Claire, Alex’s mom.

Alex tried to catch her mother’s attention, but Claire was only focused on the baby. “Mom?” she asked quietly.

Roy seemed to still be getting his bearings. He looked much less comfortable than when he was in his own memories but not nearly as bad as when the psychic attack had first started.

Alex, on the other hand, was extremely disoriented at being in a scene she couldn’t remember. This had happened long ago, and she’d been only a child. It was like watching a surreal television show starring her parents. Further, the child in the car seat was not blind. She could see it in the way the child tracked her mother’s movements.

George, who was sitting next to Claire, rapped on the dashboard with his knuckles and said, “Don’t forget, we have to go to the grocery store before we head home.”

Claire turned back to the road, and the emotional climate in the car chilled. “You don’t have to remind me of every errand we have to run as soon as we get out of the house,” she barked.

Alex jumped at the sound of her mother’s voice. She’d never heard Claire take that tone. It obviously frightened the child in the car seat as well. The child had tensed up when Claire spoke.

The car was quiet for a second, then George exploded. The air in the car turned red. Alex couldn’t understand most of the words her father was saying, but she felt them deep in her chest, a sickening gripping around the inside of her throat, falling with the weight of a thousand hammers.

It was getting hotter. Alex could feel sweat beading on her forehead. She wanted to leave, to get out of the car, to be anywhere but where she was at the moment. She tried to open the door, but it was child-locked from the inside.

The child was uncomfortable as well. Alex could now see it wasn’t a baby. The kid was at least five, maybe even seven.

Roy had the window down as far as it would go and was trying to catch his breath. “It’s not real, Alex.”

In the front of the car, Claire faced George, her face contorting as fire leaped from her eyes. What came out of her mouth was as hot as dragon fire and ten times louder than George’s tirade had been.

The words hung in the air as if they were blades repurposed for the guillotine. Some of the words did not remain stationary, though. They flew between Claire and George, slicing their faces.

Blood streamed down her parents’ faces. It was pooling on their seats.

Some of the blades flew into the back. Alex covered her head, trying to shield herself as the child cried and cried, blades occasionally nicking them. “Cover your damn face!” Alex shouted at the child.

She covered her mouth. She had no idea why she had shouted at the kid. None of this was the kid’s fault. None of it. But she still contributed to the heat in the car, the stifling heat that was making her head swim.

Roy had the right idea. Alex cracked her window and stuck her head out, breathing in the fresh, cool air. Outside, it was night. The stars shone above, and a cool breeze ran through the neighborhood.

Something tugged her shirt. When she looked inside, it was the crying child. Remaining in the car was the last thing Alex wanted to do. There was the screaming of her parents and the wailing of the child, plus Roy’s pathetic whimpering. The car was hell.

But the kid shouldn’t be crying. Alex knew that. On a deep level, she knew it was wrong that the child was upset, and if the adults in the front of the car wouldn’t deal with it, Alex would.

Alex rolled her window down farther but sat back. She grabbed the child’s hand and tried to comfort her, but nothing came out of her mouth, just a stifled groan.

At that noise, Claire and George turned and screamed at the child, shrill screeches that tore through Alex’s eardrums. She and the child covered their ears, trying to block the sound.

“Why don’t you just shut up?”

Claire and George were silent now, their jaws hanging open, nearly touching their chests. Their eyes were hollow, and the muscles of their faces were as slack as loose rope.

Alex didn’t know who had given the command, but she was glad someone had because it was finally silent.

There were two bright lights outside the window on the left. Alex only halfway noticed since she was so relieved the noise had stopped, but then metal crunched and the world went topsy-turvy. She noticed glass hanging above her head as the car tumbled through the air.

It hit the ground once and continued to roll, finally stopping on its side and spinning.

Alex coughed up blood as she tried to unbuckle her seatbelt. Roy was also trying to get out of his restraints. He had a gash across his forehead and was coughing up blood.

The blood from the front seat was now pooling in the back. Alex saw it dripping down the walls of the car. She had to get out or she was going to drown, but she was trapped. She was going to die in this car, choking on the blood of her parents.

“It’s not real,” Roy muttered. “You’re not a child. You’re a dragonrider.”

At those words, Alex let out a mighty telekinetic blast that tore the door off the car, then reached down to help Roy get out. She’d noticed the child wasn’t in the car anymore. “Where is she?” Alex shouted.

Roy grabbed Alex by the shoulder and tried to pull her away from the wreck. “We need to get out of here. You don’t need to see this.”

Alex pushed Roy’s hand away and followed a trail of glass and blood to wailing.

The child was cradled in Claire’s and George’s arms, its face covered in glass, blood pouring from its eyes as it thrashed and cried.

George was trying to calm the child, whispering, “It’s okay, Alex. It’s going to be okay,” as Claire stood and started pacing, chewing on her fingernails.

Alex touched the sides of her face, the scars in her skin that her parents had always told her were from a cat scratch. “I wasn’t born blind?”

Roy stormed over to Alex and stood between her and the vision of her parents. “It’s not real! Vardis is messing with your head!”

A psychic blast ripped out from Alex, sending Roy back a few steps. “What do you mean, it’s not real! Your vision happened! You said so yourself. Just because this isn’t real, it doesn’t mean this didn’t happen!”

Alex turned back to her parents, rage seething out of her in flashes of telekinesis. They’re the reason I spent my entire life in the dark. Because of their selfish fighting.

Claire looked up at Alex’s approach, but there was something off in her face. It didn’t quite look human. The forehead was huge, bulging out, and her body was unusually muscled. It was enough to stop Alex in her tracks. “Mom?” she asked.

Claire stretched out her arms toward Alex as if begging for a hug, then her jaw fell open as her head lolled back, a sound coming from her mouth like that of a mewling cat and a dying goat. The inhuman sound conveyed no meaning, only dread.

When Alex looked at George and the younger version of herself, she saw the same thing. George and the child were whining too, the combined sounds like a war siren going off.

The child flopped onto the concrete, lifting herself up by her arms, blood pooling under her eyes as she shook violently. “They hated you, Alex! That’s why they fought. They never wanted you. You took everything from them. They were happy before you.”

Two bones shot out of the child’s feet, bending backward as the child pushed herself up with her chubby arms. She was foaming at the mouth and making uneven motions toward Alex like a cat that had had stilts forced onto its paws. “When you came, they lost everything, and then you went and lost your eyes. Do you know what their lives were like, caring for their pathetic, blind freak of a daughter?”

Alex lashed the creature with a psychic blast, but it did nothing. “You’re a liar!”

The child’s head tilted to the side as her face melted down to the skull. Vardis’ skull. “Me? Lie? Never!”

The baby Vardis stood on its bony legs as flesh and blood oozed over them, the chubby arms of the child stretching as Vardis’ head burst out of the child’s shoulder. The creature leaned on its front arms in the fashion of a gorilla, pus and blood oozing from the wounds in its face.

A telekinetic blast hit Alex and she slammed into the wreckage of the car, stumbling to her feet as another one came at her. She barely threw a weak shield up in time to protect her before she fell again. “They don’t love me.”

Roy ran over to Alex and scooped her up in his arms before taking cover behind the car. He darted out and took three shots at the creature shuffling toward them.

The bullets ripped through the baby creature, but it only paused for a moment, then continued its slow, jerky movements.

Roy shook Alex hard. “You need to get it together. I can’t do as much damage in your head as I can in mine, even less when you’re in this state. He’s messing with your mind. This isn’t real. It’s not true, not in the way he’s showing it.”

Alex shook her head as she fought back tears. “I don’t know what’s true. I don’t know.”

“Alex, if you don’t sort this out, Vardis is going to win. I need you.”

Alex covered her face with her hands. She couldn’t hear Roy. She couldn’t hear anything. She couldn’t see anything. “Oh, my God, I can’t see! Roy, I can’t see.”

Roy popped out and fired again. “What do you mean, you can’t see?”

Tears rolled down Alex’s face as she held her hand out in front of her. She was back in the blackness, or maybe she’d never left. “I’m blind.”

Then the ground fell out from under them as the air filled with the wailing of the creature in the darkness.

Chapter Nine

Time is meaningless without context. A minute does not matter without the seconds preceding it. There is an environment in which time must exist. Darkness is not that environment, nor is silence.

It was here that Alex found herself. She wasn’t aware of how long she’d been here or how long it had taken her to go gibbering into madness, but somewhere long ago, she had forgotten who she was. She sat in the darkness, ruminating on her life. At times she stood and tried to find her way back, but she did not know what to return to.

The descent was gradual. If she had been aware, she would have tried to hold onto sanity longer, but unfortunately, she clung to the wrong thing.

The last thing Alex saw was her parents screaming as the chubby abomination Vardis had created limped toward her.

Alex could see now that it had been a trap, but she couldn’t figure out how to escape it. The more she thought, the more disgusted she was with her parents. With their voices in the car. With the way they had stood mute and dumb around her, too covered in their own shit to have the wherewithal to have called an ambulance.

She probably wouldn’t have lost her sight if they had.

She descended into the darkness. Reaching a depth she had never seen before.

At the bottom of this darkness was a fire that cast no light. Alex only knew it was there because of the heat. She found it one night, and she huddled next to it, shivering since the fire was not enough to fight the cold wind that cut through her body like the blades her parents had shouted at each other.

Near the fire, Alex screamed. She screamed for someone to save her, but she could not remember any names. By the time she thought to call for help, she hardly remembered her own.

Near primordial in her existence, she hunched over the flames and forgot how to speak, only able to remember language as a rudimentary instrument that did not give her the tools necessary to convey what existed within her.

Yet even in the darkness, something began to change. She did not need words for it, nor did she need her eyes.

As the flames flickered, she whispered to herself, guttural sounds that could have come from an animal. She knew they were not the sounds of a human, much like she knew the mud and gunk that clung to her skin wasn’t hers. Nor was this an extended period of time without food. If it was, a person would have died.

This deduction brought forth the next.

People didn’t live forever, but she could not be dead. Her last memory was watching herself with serious but not deadly injuries. But there was more: vague outlines that shimmered like constellations in the night sky. Then there came the first inkling of light. Hardly noticeable, pulsing as if it had a heartbeat.

Alex turned from the black flames, resting her back against them, staring up at these skeletons of memories. She thought long and deep in the place with no words and overlaid muscle and flesh on the bones floating above her.

She had lived in the darkness most of her life. There she had built worlds and carved her memories of what she’d heard into neat, precise instruments. She listened to each one.

As she recalled to her mother’s voice on her fifth birthday as her father helped her cut a cake, she trickled the images of her mother and father that she had from after she received her eye implants. She imagined what they would look like, talking to each other.

Then she forced herself to remember the crash. Compared the faces. One set looked weaker than the other, the faces shifting and changing, the voices contorting.

Above, the sky brightened.

For the first time in what felt like decades, Alex looked down at her hands. Her fingers were thick and knobby, dirt under her nails.

Whatever this place was, Alex realized she was not a prisoner, or not in the sense that someone could keep her here. She’d been keeping herself here.

“Where are you?”

Alex turned to the flames warming her body. Then, for reasons she could not understand, she flung her arm into the fire.

The pain was immediate and then vanished. Alex looked down at her hand. It wasn’t made of flesh. It was bionic.

If you’re ever in a dream, pinch yourself to wake up.

Someone had told her that at some time. A long time ago.

“Roy, where are you?”

Alex stood and walked away from the flames, following the faint light cast by the fleshed-out constellations above. As she wandered away from the fire, the world around her got brighter.

The feeling inside Alex, nameless and hateful, grew stronger, but it was not directed at her parents. That had been a lie. She couldn’t prove it, but she knew it was. No, this feeling was directed at whoever had told her the lie.

Vardis had planted a seed, and it had taken root for too long. Alex didn’t know how much time she’d lost, but she was going to find him and make him pay.

There was another reason Alex needed to find Vardis. She wasn’t sure about it, but it was more important than cramming his stupid face up his ass, and it was far beyond her as a person. She’d find it when she did.

“Roy, where the hell are you!”

Alex reached into what was left of the darkness and tore it apart, ripping it as if it were a silk veil. Then there was light.

She could see Roy.

The man was old, older than Alex had assumed he was. His hair and beard were gray, and he had a cane. He was leaning against a pile of red mud.

As Alex stepped into the light, she started to be able to make sense of the world around her.

The world she looked upon was Vardis’ home, but it was different than the vision of his world in his dream.

There were mountains of red mud. Lakes of it, as far as the eye could see. An entire world of clay.

Alex ran over to Roy and helped him sit up. His eyes were gray and glaucous. He murmured under his breath as Alex tried to get him to his feet, “Who are you?”

“It’s me, Alex.”

“I can’t see anything. I can’t see anything. I think I’m dying. Finally. This time it’s the real thing.”

Alex looked around. She had no idea what to do. Digging herself out of wherever the hell she had been was one thing. Getting Roy out was another problem altogether. “It isn’t real, Roy. None of this is real. That’s what you told me. It’s all in our heads. Or in Vardis’. But it isn’t real.”

Roy slumped to the side, knocking his cane over. “What is real? These aren’t my memories. I’ve never been blind. Been this old but never been this blind before.”

“Are you going to get up or just sit here moping?”

Roy rested his head on the clay behind him and chuckled. “You’re one to talk. I’m pretty sure you’ve been in the shit as long as I have. How the hell did you get out?“

Alex looked down at her bionic arm. “You pinch yourself when you’re dreaming.”

“What?”

Alex drew Roy’s gun from its holster, then took his hand and wrapped his fingers around the butt. “You pinch yourself when you’re dreaming.”

Roy looked at Alex, his eyes milky. “When you’re dreaming?”

Alex pressed the muzzle of the pistol to Roy’s leg. “Yeah. When you’re dreaming.”

Roy pulled the trigger.

The pistol blasted a hole the size of an apple. He screamed in pain and cupped the wound with his hand, trying to keep the blood from flowing.

As Roy swore under his breath, the cloudiness in his eyes started to fade. He continued to swear, finally taking a deep breath and grabbing his cane. “Would have thought you went to PsyOps after pulling a stunt like that.”

Roy tried to stand, and Alex gave him a hand. They both took some time to gaze upon the red world, its red suns hanging above them like a promise of hell. “So, this is what the bastard is capable of when he’s awake.”

“How bad was it for you?”

As Roy answered, his body got younger. “Pretty bad. Ain’t proud to say it, but I was lost in there for a while. In myself. Or him. I don’t know the difference. But he broke me. You?”

Alex watched the red suns above her. “Almost. But I wouldn’t be here if he had, would I?”

Roy reached into his pocket and pulled out two cigars. He handed one to Alex. “Don’t light it,” he said. “That one’s just herbs and crap, but it’ll help ground you. Kinda like pinching yourself over and over.”

Alex accepted the fake cigar and gnawed on it. The thing tasted like chocolate and rosemary. “Now what?”

“We break out of the attack. Vardis probably assumes we’re done, but he’s at a disadvantage. He’s been keeping up two worlds, or maybe even three. He’s stretched himself pretty thin. There’s no way he’ll know we’ve broken free. He’s too busy concentrating on keeping everything running smoothly. Now we take the fight to him.”

“How are we going to do that? We were hardly able to tell the difference between reality and this?”

Roy lit his cigar and shook his head. “Not true. We both knew it wasn’t real, if only on a subconscious level. Or at least you did.”

One of the clay mountains exploded into fire. The smoke rose to the sky, obscuring something that had been lurking there. She pointed at it and Roy followed her finger, jumping in fear when he got a glimpse of what was behind the smoke. “What the hell is that?”

Millions of eyes peered out from behind the smoke as lightning crackled through the clouds. “That’s what’s in the shard,” Alex explained. “They found a way to trap it thousands of years ago. This is what the kin are made out of—some kind of elder god.”

Roy was looking at his pistol. “I swear, there’s a new elder god every twenty years or so. This ain’t anything special. Just means something is old enough to remember before there was anything. But we need to go on the offensive. The longer we stay docile, the faster he’ll find us.”

Alex turned away from the eyes that were peering at her. “Fine. We take this to Vardis. I haven’t done PsyOps before. What do they tell you to do in situations like this?”

Roy kicked at the clay next to him. “They tell us to go deep. Deeper than the person attacking us would go, and I think we’ve already been that deep in ourselves. This could be what’s deep for Vardis. This place. Let’s take it deeper.”

Alex thought it was a good idea. The alien had delved into her deeps. Why not give him the same experience? “Okay, but hold on. I want to see if we can get reinforcements.”

She focused and brought her thoughts under control, strangling the wild ideas and concepts that were whirling in her head. After she had at least partially accomplished her goal, she reached out to Chine, but the most she was able to utter was a bestial cry for help.

What came back was something she had not experienced or expected: full and unadulterated rage from Chine. It was not directed at her, but at whoever had hurt her. I am coming, Dustling. I am coming.

Alex grabbed Roy and dragged him to a pool of mud that was a couple of yards away from them. “Chine is coming,” she said. “I don’t know when he’s going to get here, but we aren’t waiting. If we’re going to bring the fight to Vardis, then we are.”

The mud was shallow, hardly coming up to Alex’s knees. “We find him now, no matter what.”

Alex dropped to her knees and started digging into the mud, splashing it up as she crawled deeper and deeper into the wet red earth. She let out a psychic blast that carved into the ground as she pulled out her scythe, then she began cutting into the earth, ripping away mud and flinging it to the side as she continued to blast it.

Roy followed suit, dropping to his knees and digging with his hands, trying to get to whatever Alex was burrowing toward.

The two of them were going to get to Vardis no matter what.

Chapter Ten

The two dug into the earth, Alex feeling the wet clay on her hands. She was reminded of when she and her parents had spent hours in their garden, digging up weeds to tend plants her parents thought were worthwhile.

“Here we are.”

Alex pulled back, uncertain of what she was retreating from.

Neither she nor Roy was in the red clay world anymore. This was a new place, blood and bone born from a life Alex could not understand.

The bones cried out for vengeance. They cried out for absolution.

For what, Alex could not know.

Roy was beside her, covered in the red gunk just as she was, trying to make sense of what they were experiencing. “This is his mind. Whatever he remembers.”

Alex had not stopped excavating. “It doesn’t matter. We’re getting to the bottom of it.”

Roy stepped back, watching Alex work. He pulled a cigar from his pocket and started chomping on it, muttering under his breath before flinging himself to the mud once more and digging as best as he could. “We’ll get to the bottom of this. We’ll get to the bottom of it all.”

Alex lost herself to the digging, to flinging mud and clay over her shoulders, tossing it aside, trying to find what was buried beneath all of the red earth.

Lo and behold, in the tiny bits of clay were creatures, small worms with faces. Their eyes seemed to peer into Alex’s, asking questions that could not be answered or even given words. They leered, and Alex managed to return their gazes.

Worms forced themselves out of the ground. Massive things, their bodies nearly the size of a human’s, pushed themselves out of the clay, writhing, their invisible mouths grasping for what could not be seen.

Up above, the heavens were covered in red clouds, lightning flashing, the red bleeding into the sky. Eyes opened all around her, watching, scheming, and understanding. “Don’t look at the eyes,” Alex shouted. “You can’t look at the eyes.”

Both of them, as if she had understood her own warnings, looked away from the sky of many winking eyes. They ignored it and dug deeper, their hands and nails filled with what could not be ignored.

Then there was thunder, a voice calling out. It was reminiscent of ancient days and voices that had come before words existed, a time when all that could be communicated was the raw feeling of existence.

Roy pulled back from it, trying to hide as well as he could.

Alex did not try to hide. She did not try to fight, merely accepted that there was hardly any control in this place, only what she took.

Chine! Chine, where are you?

In the millions of twinkling eyes above, Alex watched Vardis’ face take shape. He looked down upon the two humans, smirking as his voice thundered throughout the psychic plane. It reminded Alex of when she had been in the comet, listening to the voice of the Dark One.

They were one and the same, Vardis and the Dark One.

Alex focused on reaching out to her dragon. Please, you have to hear me. Please. I need you.

The sky ripped itself apart, lightning streaking and thunder booming.

And then there was silence. No answer came. Chine’s voice could not be heard.

Alex understood.

Chine was not coming. He couldn’t hear her, and as long as she thought she needed him to save her from what she was experiencing, that was going to be her existence. She would always need someone to save her.

But she hadn’t needed Roy. She hadn’t needed the rest of Boundless. She hadn’t needed Chine. None of them could help her make sense of what existed in her mind, and as long as she kept calling for them, she was never going to get anywhere.

Alex focused her intention on her hand. She felt energy welling around it, her knuckles swelling with power. Then she leaped into the air and drove her hand into the red earth as she landed, shattering it.

The world around her broke apart, the pieces trying to cling to each other but unable to hold on as the power of Alex’s psychic blast reverberated throughout the dreamscape.

Alex let loose a scream of rage and pain, her body bursting into flame as she plowed through the earth, the draconic fluid in her igniting, surging through her, and bolstering her powers, sending her telepathic reach farther than she could ever have imagined.

The world around her started to dissolve, Vardis’ screams echoing.

Suddenly, her dragon’s head burst through the dream, looking as if he had just come tumbling through a wall. Alex, Child of Dust!

Alex ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck. I’m here. Oh, thank God, you’re here!

Chine unleashed a torrent of ether fire.

Alex felt it burning in her as well, the flames on her body changing from yellow to black, mimicking the ones coming from her dragon.

Alex and Roy drew as close to Chine as they could while he burned everything near him.

The earth Alex had been burrowing into collapsed and the three of them dropped into a cavern.

Chine blew out a small burst of flame, enough to illuminate the cave. There was hardly anything in it, only darkness.

As the ground continued to break apart, Alex and Roy fell into a chasm with Chine. The dragon let loose a torrent of ether flames, and Alex’s body was covered in the same.

Telekinetic blasts radiated from the dragonrider as the three dropped into the clay world of Vardis’ ancestors.

Alex hit the ground hard, then struggled to her feet, clutching the aching wounds she had received in the last battle with Vardis. “Where are you? Show yourself!”

The earth shook, the walls trembling and quivering as something like a face forced its way through the red clay. It was Vardis, his jeweled forehead quivering as is his beady black eyes peered at Alex. “Show myself? Perhaps you should show yourself.”

A telepathic blast hit Alex, trying to bring up all of Vardis’ renditions of her past, but she knew better now. She knew that none of this was real.

Alex wiped away Vardis’ onslaught with a simple gesture. “I’m done with you,” she shouted. “All of this. I’m done with all of it.”

Vardis’ head trembled, his skin boiling as he screamed in rage. “The Dark One must be defeated!”

Alex screamed back as Chine flew up behind her, blasting ether flames to consume the visage of Vardis before them.

Vardis squealed as his skin melted, as did the clay surrounding his body, pooling in a red lake that looked like blood. The alien’s face bubbled up to the top of it.

Alex and Chine walked down to the small lake, Roy right behind them. The three looked at the miserable, melting face of Vardis. “End it, Chine,” Alex ordered.

Chine scorched the lake and everything around it.

Alex and Roy were caught up in the flames and consumed by them.

* * *

Alex snapped awake in her bed in the medbay. She looked around, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. “Roy, are you here?”

Roy coughed and rolled over. He was lying on the floor, trying to grab his cigar. “Yeah, I’m here. I’m here.”

Alex let out a sigh of relief. “I can’t believe we got through that. Jesus Christ.”

The lights in the room flickered on and off, then went out.

The walls shook, and the air got hotter.

Alex looked up.

Vardis stood in the doorway, his eyes burning with a dark light as he stepped into the medbay. “This is just the beginning, Alex,” he growled.

Author Notes Ramy Vance

May 28, 2020

My Dungeon Master hates me… Seriously. I must be the most difficult player ever.

I’m playing a dual class Barbarian/Sorcerer – with a twist. The backstory for my character is this:

He was one of the great barbarians of the Mountain Goliaths. They raided a village doing their thing: Killing, stealing, pillaging… when a great sorcerer came onto the scene and with a wave of his hand, killed half the barbarian raiders.

My guy – who takes on the name of his last great deed … another reason why my DM hates me – was spared for reasons the barbarian doesn’t really understand. Then he was trained to become a sorcerer himself. But given his intelligence is a 10 and his Wisdom is an 11, he’s a terrible sorcerer. He pretty much can cast Jump and Light … and that’s it.

Anywhooo … he was released with the instructions that he must “Raise someone worthy to heights unimagined.”

The Multi-Named Barbarian took this to heart and went forth where he met the adventuring party that my character is a part of now.

On their first adventure, the party is clearing out a bunch of goblins from a cave. One goblin in particular – Gibbles – catches Multi-Named’s attention. The barbarian/sorcerer sees potential in the creature.

He sees a KING!

So for the rest of that session, I spent Charisma roll after Charisma roll (including wasting all my inspirations and advantages) to befriend the goblin.

Now I’m out to ‘civilize’ him … a lofty task, indeed, because my character has anger issues. (After all, he’s a barbarian at heart.)

Multi-Named protects Gibbles, buys him clothes, stands up for him when some wayward villager sneers at him …

Multi-Named will only go on an adventure if he feels it will further Gibbles’ destiny. (My character has refused to do things set out by the DM, as well as committed to ridiculous fights in the name of the goblin.)

And this is my oath (or rather, Multi-Named’s oath): By the time this adventure is over, Gibbles will be a king.

Or Multi-Named will die trying.

Sigh… like I said, my DM hates me.

Gibbles: Before … and (soon to be) after pics …

PS – Do you think I can convince Michael to play DnD with me?

Author Notes Michael Anderle

May 28, 2020.

So Ramy asked in his author notes the question of whether or not you, our fair reader, thought I might play Dungeons and Dragons with him.

The short answer is perhaps and maybe.

The longer answer is I would like to watch recordings of Ramy playing Dungeons and Dragons before I commit fully. It has been decades, I believe, since I have played the game. I am sure I would become the point of focus to find out just how bad could we can screw up Michael if he’s playing a game of Dungeons & Dragons with us.

Not really too sure I care to do this. It’s like being asked to be the one sitting on that little chair and getting dumped into a vat of ice-cold water. Everyone supports the fact that it’s for charity. I’m pretty good with just putting up $200 and calling us square.

I’ve never been good at making a fool of myself. I can do that all on my lonesome without making a concerted effort to accomplish it. Sometimes, I wonder what would happen if I tried to be foolish. Probably I would fail, yet by not trying, I make it seem easy.

I can imagine that if I were being paid based on the amount of laughter, I might become a rich man indeed.

However, his question brings up questions of my own. I have watched a few YouTube series, and maybe a few television series, where the characters on the shows played Dungeons and Dragons. Yet, I don’t know of any of them that have made me wish to watch the second show.

Is it that I’m just not a fan? Or is it that no one has successfully captured the joy and the freedom of playing a role-playing game? Is there perhaps an opportunity to create an online training course for actors on how to act while playing Dungeons and Dragons? Is there something that brings the joy that one feels when reading about Dungeons and Dragons events in someone’s life?

I have read posts on the website Reddit from many people who have shared game experiences that have left me in stitches.

So, if someone can commit to text, why is it acting is so much more of a problem? Is it just that we bring our own experiences when we read it, but it is not capable of being captured on film?

Or is it that I have not seen these videos yet? I would love to!

Feel free, if you leave a review, to mention some of those in it. Or, drop by one of our Facebook groups and talk about it. In general, you can find me on the Protected by the Damned Facebook group, where the discussions revolve around humor that’s a little bit more adult.

I admit our two youngest sons played Dungeons and Dragons while in high school. I’m not sure they continue to play any games, but at least I have checked that nerd-father task off my to-do list.

I hope you have a fantastic week!

Regards,

Michael Anderle

Boundless

Dragon Approved™ Book Thirteen

Chapter One

Vardis stood in the doorway of Alex’s hospital room. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes betrayed his purpose. The alien was seething with energy. It was like looking at a lightbulb exceeding its wattage. He seemed unable to contain himself.

Alex had only just pulled herself out of Vardis’ mental labyrinth. She still wasn’t sure what was real. Her memories seemed tacked on, or like they could have been changed without her even realizing it. The only thing she was certain of was that she was in the real world now.

Roy was still having trouble adjusting to being outside the mental plane. He didn’t look as sick as he had while navigating through Vardis’ and Alex’s memories, but he didn’t look like he was up for a fight.

Vardis took a slow, deliberate step into the room as if he were savoring the confusion he had caused to both Alex and Roy. He was gloating.

Alex wasn’t going to take the bait. “What are you doing here?”

Vardis looked around the room, energy still pouring from his body. “I came to see if you were okay. I heard about the explosion and wanted to check on your health.”

Alex knew that was a lie. Even though she didn’t have any proof, she knew the explosion that had put her in the med-bay was caused by Vardis. She didn’t need proof that Vardis was trying to hurt her, though. Roy had been involved in the psychic attack as well. He’d back her up. “I’m onto you,” Alex threatened.

Vardis closed the door behind him as he walked farther in the room. He looked from Alex to Roy, watching them both closely. “I do not know what you’re talking about,” he murmured, feigning ignorance. The smug tone in his voice was obvious. “They’re going to be transporting the shard in a little while. I thought you should know.”

“You can’t use that weapon!”

A pulse went through the room, a subtle ripple as if someone had lightly pressed their fingertip to water. Alex looked at Roy to see if he felt the distortion as well, but she found herself moving extremely slowly as if she were trying to move through gelatin.

Then she heard Vardis’ voice in her head, lacking the prior smugness but sounding nearly frantic, almost mad. “We need to use the weapon as soon as possible,” he said. “It is time for this war to end, for the Dark One to pay for everything he’s put us through.”

For the first time since she’d started suspecting Vardis, Alex realized the alien might not be of sound mind, and it seemed like he was quickly unraveling. “If we use that weapon, it’s going to destroy everything we know. It’ll destroy what we are fighting for.”

“Not what you’re fighting for. Don’t you understand anything about dimensions and universes, human? It’s powerful enough to destroy a universe. Middang3ard isn’t your home, this is. Once the weapon is used on Middang3ard, the other eight surviving realms will keep on living. They’ll be able to experience life free of the Dark One.”

Alex hadn’t realized the distinction until just now. Middang3ard wasn’t Earth, nor were the elvish or gnomish realms. They were all layered over each other like a pile of crepes. Vardis was only talking about discarding one of the crepes.

Would that be so bad? Middang3ard was just a hub of different species, most of them working on the war effort. They could be evacuated; there was no reason they had to die. And the rest of the realm…

Alex couldn’t believe she was even thinking about the option. It was practically genocide, and not worth it. The thought of losing any number of lives to destroy the Dark One made Alex’s stomach turn.

“Is it any different than the lives Myrddin sacrifices to fight the Dark One?”

Vardis’ voice broke Alex away from her thoughts. Now she wasn’t certain if the initial thought she’d had about letting Middang3ard be destroyed had originated from her or the alien.

It had been the same when she’d spoken to the Dark One. Even though Alex’s telepathy was getting stronger at a rapid rate, she wasn’t sure if it was on par with either the Dark One’s or Vardis’. Maybe they were strong enough to influence her mind in ways she didn’t even know about.

Alex shook away the alien’s words. “No, they’re different. We’d all be dead if Myrddin hadn’t organized everything.”

“Yet there have been sacrifices. Your arm, for instance. There are things we lose that we never get back. That’s all this is, a sacrifice. The immensity of that sacrifice is as large as that which we hope to remove.”

Something about Vardis’ voice had changed. It had lost its manic tone and was low and almost comforting, a distortion he did not seem to be aware of. Alex would have assumed it was an entirely different person.

“Myrddin asked me to fight. It wasn’t something I was forced into. It was my decision. What you’re planning is monstrous.”

Vardis raised his hand, his palm facing Roy. “No, monstrous would be focusing on your friend’s brain long enough to reduce it to a gray puddle on the floor. That would be senseless, unnecessary, and monstrous, to do that just to see your pain. What I’m proposing is that you and I, that we save the realms together. Keep quiet, and we can all live through this.”

Alex pushed back telepathically, warding off Vardis’ influence. “I’m not going to kill millions of people.”

“Just like the Dark One asked you, right?”

Alex’s heart dropped. She wasn’t sure how Vardis knew about the conversation she’d had with the Dark One. Or maybe he didn’t. He could have been bluffing. It wouldn’t have been hard to deduce that the Dark One had reached out to Alex during the battle. “He didn’t ask me anything,” Alex answered.

Vardis was silent for a second, watching Alex as if he were trying to discern the truth of her words.

The uncertainty in his eyes was extremely comforting to her. If he could be confused, he didn’t have full access to her mind. She felt uncertainty coming off him.

That must have been how it worked. They could pick up on each other’s feelings, and things that could be given away with body language seemed to amplify the thoughts of the individual. If Alex could keep her body language in control, it would be harder for Vardis to read her.

Vardis, on the other hand, didn’t get himself under control. His emotions were as palpable as the psychic energy coming off his body.

Alex decided to push the alien. “That’s the difference between you and me. You’re willing to sacrifice everyone around you, and yet you don’t fight. Sounds a little cowardly to me.”

Anger filled the room as Vardis ground his teeth. “I have sacrificed more than you will ever understand. All of us sacrificed so much.”

The alien’s eyes went glossy for a second, the bright white energy fading before he looked around the room as if he had just been transported into it.

The energy came back and he screamed in rage. “All of them died! Do you understand? Every one of them!”

A psychic blast tore through the room as time returned to normal.

Alex and Roy were flung against the wall and hit hard enough to crack the concrete.

The sudden time dilation had caught Alex off-guard, but the blast was weak compared to what she’d gone through in Vardis’ mind. He must have been distracted. Whatever was going on in his head was a weakness, one Alex wanted to exploit. “Where were you when they died? It didn’t seem like you could do anything to help them.”

When Vardis spoke, it was in a voice Alex had never heard him use. It was high-pitched and more frenzied than before, his voice cracking with every other word. “I did everything I could! None of them believed me! None of them were willing to do what needed to be done! That’s why they are no more. But we continue. We will not let the Dark One win.”

Who is the “we” Vardis keeps talking about? Alex thought. He’s never done that before. This guy must be crazier than I thought.

Roy was getting to his feet, shaken by what had happened. He still managed to draw his pistol faster than Alex could see and fire.

One of the shots hit Vardis in the arm, flinging him back. The alien didn’t seem hurt, though. He raised his hand, and Roy went flying.

Alex reached out and tried to telekinetically pull Roy back down to the ground as he writhed in pain. “So, that’s the plan? You couldn’t do anything to keep your people alive? The best plan you got is to wipe out an entire universe? I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the one who wiped out your people.”

Roy fell to the ground as Vardis took a step back. “What did you just say?”

“You heard me. You keep going on about how the Dark One killed your people, but we were in your mind too. I didn’t see one memory of the Dark One. Just you and a bunch of dead people like you.”

The walls in the room started to shake and the glass in the windows vibrated. “How dare you!” Vardis growled.

The door opened and a nurse walked into the room. She froze when she saw the standoff between Vardis and Alex. “I could come back later,” she murmured and let herself out.

Before the door could close, it exploded like a grenade had just gone off, slicing the nurse’s face and leaving her a bloody mess on the floor.

Alex screamed in rage, seeing how casually Vardis had treated a human life, and drew her scythe, rushing at Vardis while pulling him closer with her telekinesis.

Vardis pushed back as hard as he could, stopping Alex for a second as he ran.

It wasn’t in Alex’s head. Vardis was stronger in real life than in the psychic plane. It must have been because his attention wasn’t split. Her powers didn’t feel like they were anywhere close to his.

Roy was back on his feet. He ran over to the nurse who had been attacked and held her head up. She coughed up blood, and there were tears in her eyes as she looked about fearfully. “Where does it hurt?” Roy asked.

The nurse looked down at her stomach and pulled up her shirt. There were cuts all over her torso as well as her face. “They’re superficial,” she managed, her voice eerily professional. “I’ll survive.”

“We’ll get help.”

Roy looked at Alex. “We can’t let him get too far away. Come on.”

Alex followed Roy as he commed for a medical team to come to Alex’s room. They raced after Vardis, and Alex wondered what other tricks the alien had up his sleeve.

Chapter Two

Roy patched himself into the base’s cameras as he and Alex pursued Vardis to see if he could find the alien and figure out where he was heading to. “Found him! He’s going for the hangar. We can cut him off before he gets there. Follow me.”

Roy turned a corner a moment later and stopped. He pointed at an air duct. “You’re not claustrophobic, are you?”

Alex looked dubiously at the air duct. “I prefer the open sky, but I’m not going to have a panic attack or anything. Why do we have to use the ducts, though?”

“It’s a straight shot to the hangar. We’ll beat him to the punch and be able to take him out faster.”

Roy pulled the grate off the air duct and knelt to give Alex a boost. She climbed up to it and slid in. It wasn’t as tight as she’d thought it was going to be. Roy pulled himself up behind her and directed her forward.

Alex crawled through the duct, already anxious to get out, but she followed Roy’s instructions and turned where he told her to. It wasn’t long before he told her to stop. “Right below us,” he said. “Go ahead and get out.”

Alex punched out the grate with her bionic arm and leaped out of the duct.

The hangar was empty of any personnel but filled with a variety of transportation options: decommissioned fighter jets, some tanks, and a small collection of helicopters. There were exo-suits lined up against the wall that didn’t look like they’d ever been used. Alex remembered reading about them and how there were some groups in Myrddin’s army that were composed of soldiers without magic who only used that kind of suit.

The lights in the hangar flickered on, and Alex saw how vast it was. Her initial impression of what the hangar held had been very misguided. There was nearly triple the amount of military junk than she’d originally thought. “Okay, what’s the plan?” Alex asked.

Roy walked around, peeking behind a helicopter. “I think we beat him here, so it’s an ambush. Don’t know why he’s heading to the hangar, though.”

Roy checked his visor’s feed of Vardis running through the hallways. “Yeah, he’s still heading this way, but it looks like he’s doing something. Messing with the cameras or something. It’s hard to see through the feed.”

Vardis looked directly into the camera and Roy’s feed disappeared. “Guess that sums that one up. He’s knocking out the cameras.”

“Maybe he’s trying to make sure we don’t call backup.”

Roy shook his head as he walked back over to Alex. “Doesn’t make any sense. If we were going to call for backup, we already would have.”

“Uh, just asking, how come we haven’t called for backup?”

Roy was pacing and scratching the back of his head. “Vardis was smart. When we were bringing you back, a couple of other explosions went off in the base as well. We evacuated most of it. This place isn’t built for an attack. None of the dragons had been outfitted. And we still didn’t know the nature of the attack. Perfect time for Vardis to take out one person and not get caught.”

Alex blushed and met Roy’s eyes. “He didn’t start by trying to attack me. For a bit, everything froze, and he tried to convince me to help him set off the weapon on Middang3ard.”

Roy leaned against one of the helicopters as he watched the door of the hangar. “Why do you look so bummed out? Did you agree? Is this a big double-cross?”

Alex threw her hands up, worried until she saw Roy smiling. “No. I’d never do that, but it felt like he had some good points. Some very good points.”

“Let me guess. People must make sacrifices. Myrddin sacrifices people all the time. What’s the difference between what he wants to do and what Myrddin has done?”

Alex was surprised Roy hit the nail on the head. “How did you know he said that?”

“Because I’ve come across my share of megalomaniacal psychos before. You think they’d come up with something more original by now, but nope. Everyone basically says the same thing. Sounds good the first time, but after your third psycho, it seems like they all get the same script. I’m waiting for a bad guy with a little more creativity to show up. Even the Dark One, who wants to enslave all of reality for no reason. Guy doesn’t even have a tragic backstory.”

Alex chuckled as she thought of what might be motivating the Dark One. “You know, I never thought of that. Guess he is pretty bland.”

“All I’m saying is that these guys all say the same crap, and you don’t have to feel bad because it sounds right. The best lies have a little bit of truth in them. But you’re solid, Alex. I know that. We all do. We trust you. You don’t have to be worried that we’ll doubt you just because you have a secret conversation. Not going to happen.”

“That means a lot to me. It really does.”

Roy lit his cigar and puffed out a heavy cloud of smoke. “The Dark One. Even the name is…meh. Trust me, all these psychos are the same.”

The hangar’s double doors opened. Vardis walked into the hangar, looking around as if he were suspecting an ambush.

Roy’s idea of an ambush must have been a loose interpretation of the word because he hadn’t bothered trying to hide or come up with a plan for when Vardis arrived. “Ambush” meant “surprise,” from what it looked like.

For a moment, Vardis didn’t seem to notice Roy and Alex. Maybe there was enough crap in the room that Vardis couldn’t see them. Even though the lights were on, it wasn’t particularly bright.

Vardis floated through the air. At first, Alex thought it was to look for her and Roy, but the alien wasn’t searching for anything on the ground. Instead, he found the security cameras up in the corners of the hangar and ripped them off, then crushed the cameras to bits and flung the pieces to the ground.

“Why the hell is he getting rid of all the cameras?” Roy muttered.

Alex had been wondering the same thing. The only obvious answer was that he didn’t want anyone to know what he was up to, but that was a convoluted, ass-backward way to keep anyone from knowing he’d gone rogue. He could have just waited to attack when they had all gotten back to Middang3ard. “I have no idea what he’s up to, so what’s the plan?”

“Plan? Oh, I was going to attack him. Take him dead or alive. Dead, probably. He seems like a fighter.”

“I meant, do you have a plan for how to do that?”

“With my guns. Not a joke. I mean my actual guns.”

Alex sighed as she shook her head. “So, guns blazing?”

“I figure you will use whatever the hell kinda powers you have now, and we’ll whittle him down. Shouldn’t take too long. We saw how strong he was on the moon. We can take him.”

Alex had all but forgotten about Vardis’ display of power on the moon. It seemed like a very long time ago. Roy was right, though. Alex was a competent fighter, and Roy had decades of years of experience. Maybe even more if the memories that they’d shared were any indication of his age.

Alex was preparing to say something when she noticed Roy staring longingly at one of the exo-suits. “You don’t see the 850 series anymore,” he explained. “They were faster and stronger than anything else we’ve put out.”

“How come you don’t use them, then?”

“Neural connection is a little bit off. Fried a couple of brains. But it’s not every day you get to take one for a spin. You get started with fly-boy up there. I’ve got an idea.”

“An idea or a plan?”

Roy turned and jogged backward, shrugging. “Is there a difference?” He took off toward the exo-suit.

Alex concentrated and lifted herself into the air. She couldn’t fly like Vardis did, but she was able to lift herself, nearly doubling her jump range. It was a lot harder than Vardis made it look. “Vardis!” Alex shouted.

The alien stopped in his tracks and looked around, trying to pinpoint the place from which his name had been called. While Vardis searched for Alex, the dragonrider suppressed her emotions and thoughts to make it harder for Vardis to find her.

He used his telekinesis to throw one of the fighter jets out of the way. It looked effortless, as if it had taken a fraction of his attention. He’d thrown the jet the way someone flicks a gnat off their arm. Alex could see she was nowhere near Vardis’ level in the real world.

But that didn’t matter. Alex hadn’t been going to psychic classes for the last few months. She’d been training as a dragonrider, and a rider didn’t rely on one trick to deal with a situation.

Alex pulled out her scythe and watched Vardis floating above, still trying to find her. When Vardis passed over her, Alex flung her scythe at him, guiding it with her mind.

The scythe hit Vardis in the shoulder, and the blade stuck in his skin. He screamed as he ripped the blade out of his arm and tossed it down to the ground. Then he stretched out his hands and pushed back every vehicle in front of him.

The rider dove behind a moving helicopter. It had become apparent Vardis had no idea where she was. He was flailing, but by knocking over so much crap, he had given her an unintentional advantage.

Alex slid into the helicopter closest to her and propped open its sliding door, then scanned through her inventory. There were more weapons than her scythe loaded into her dragon anchor. The scythe was the easiest for her to use, but Alex had trained with every weapon she owned.

The gravity disruption grenades would work well with an ice grenade. Alex thought about her pistol but realized she wasn’t a good enough shot.

She poked her head out of the helicopter and saw Vardis floating above, still searching for her. She tossed the gravity disruption grenade on the ground and watched as it rolled toward Vardis. When it was under him, she remotely detonated it.

A small gravity well opened, pulling Vardis out of the air so quickly that he didn’t have a chance to react. As he fought to get away from the well, Alex tossed the ice grenade at him and detonated it.

A blast of ice shot out and flash-froze the alien where he stood.

Alex leaped out from her cover and raced toward Vardis. On the way, she scooped up her scythe and jumped over an overturned tank. Vardis wouldn’t see this coming. Even if he did, Alex knew how fast she was. She’d get there before the alien even had a chance.

She leaped over another tank, landing in front of him. The alien’s eyes went wide as Alex brought her scythe down on the side of his neck. Then she pulled back her bionic arm and let loose a punch that would put a hole in a concrete wall.

The ice around Vardis began to crack and small sheets fell off. Then he flew into the hangar’s wall.

Alex knew that wasn’t going to be enough to take out the alien. Now that the attack had started, she wasn’t going to be able to let up. She ran after him, then flung herself through the air and landed on top of him. She cupped her hands together and brought down a double fist on his chest. Even through the ice, she could see his eyes widen in pain. Then she grabbed her scythe, ready to take off Vardis’ head.

The ice around the alien’s body shattered as a psychic shockwave knocked Alex off the alien.

She hit the floor and skidded into a fighter jet. As she got to her feet, she could see Vardis doing the same. They glared at each other from across the hangar. This was going to be it—their last stand.

Chapter Three

Vardis raised his hand to attack the dragonrider. Before he could do anything, Roy barreled into him from the side, and the alien careened into the side of a tank.

Roy was wearing the exo-suit, a tight-fitting mechanical spine that went up to the back of his neck. The exo-suit also connected to the arms, wired to the tips of Roy’s fingers and extending down his legs to his ankles. “You thought you guys were going to finish without me?” He chuckled.

Alex moved to take advantage of Vardis’ surprise, heading for the tank the alien had crashed into.

He was already back on his feet, and he whipped his hands in front of him, sending the tank toward Alex.

Alex punched it with her bionic hand, slowing it down but not enough to keep from being flung back.

Roy leaped to help Alex. He hit the tank with his feet and pushed hard, which launched the tank back at Vardis.

The alien dodged to the right and scampered across the floor on all fours before jumping at Alex, who had just gotten to her feet. He tackled her, and the two went rolling across the cement. Vardis raised his hand, a psychic blast forming in his palm.

Before Vardis could bring down his fist, Alex punched him in the face with her bionic arm. The force of the attack knocked him off, and he hit the ground and rolled behind the tank he’d thrown. He raised the tank and ripped it in two, then sent half the tank at Alex and the other half at Roy.

Roy managed to get out of the way, and his half smashed into a jet fighter behind him, crumpling the jet’s steel skin.

Alex also dodged her half of the tank but reached out and threw it back at Vardis, who floated into the air above Alex and Roy. “Do you think that is enough to stop me? You lack conviction! If you cannot do what needs to be done, how do you think you will end this?” the alien screeched.

The manic frenzy was back in Vardis’ voice. Whatever was going on in his head was getting worse. Alex waved for Roy to follow her as the alien started cackling madly. “Sounds like he’s losing his mind,” Alex remarked.

Roy ducked behind a tank. “Yeah, that is what it sounds like. I didn’t think he was going to be so tough. Guess now’s the time to call those reinforcements, even if it’s going to take a minute.” He pulled up his HUD. “Oh, crap, something’s blocking communication. Must be him.”

The sound of steel hitting steel broke up the conversation, and the tank the two were hiding behind pushed back against them. “I’ll try to reach Chine!” Alex shouted.

Roy rolled out from behind their cover, drew both of his plasma pistols, and fired a couple of bolts at Vardis as he ducked behind another tank.

The alien waved away the plasma blasts, sending them into the wall.

Alex was tired of being on the defensive, but she didn’t know what else to do. Vardis was much more powerful when he was using telekinesis. Then Alex remembered how erratically he had behaved when she’d taunted him in the medbay.

Now wasn’t the time to shout things to upset the alien, but there was another way. She would get into his head.

Alex didn’t know how to launch a telepathic attack. Every telepathic event so far had been her reacting to what either the Dark One or Vardis had started.

Thinking about what she didn’t know wasn’t going to get her and Roy out of this, though. Alex closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and concentrated on what she was trying to do. She needed to distract Vardis. Maybe if he thought he was somewhere else…

Alex focused on the planet she’d seen in his memory. She tried to build it up in the room. To make the vans and planes and tanks disappear. To see the mud dripping down the walls. To create a place as close to what she had seen in the alien’s mind as she could.

When she thought she had a good mental image, she focused on sending it to Vardis. She imagined a flying dagger made of the images, aimed at his head.

Vardis stopped looking around and froze as if he’d been hit with another ice grenade. He let loose a scream as he grabbed the side of his head. “Stay out of my head!”

Alex felt his retaliation. It was like her skull was splitting open, but the pain passed quickly. Was that what she had just done to Vardis?

The alien hadn’t come back with a telekinetic attack either. Alex’s theory seemed right. Vardis was a stronger psychic than Alex too, but he couldn’t use both powers at the same time. That meant he could be stopped.

Alex commed Roy. “Hey, he can’t use telepathy and telekinesis at the same time. If I distract him, maybe we can get some good shots in.”

Roy’s voice came back. “You better get distracting, then.”

As Alex was preparing to answer, the tank she was hiding behind rose into the air. The alien had found her.

Alex drew her plasma pistol and fired a few shots as she scurried to find somewhere else to hide while Vardis tore the tank apart. While she was fleeing, she imagined thousands of aliens like Vardis, all of them begging him not to kill them, their bodies broken and battered. She directed the thought toward him, again imagining a dagger hitting him in the forehead.

Vardis screamed again and dropped the shredded tank. As he clutched his forehead, he descended, then caught himself but didn’t go back up.

Roy jumped toward him, aiming a flying kick at the alien.

Vardis recovered fast enough to catch Roy in midair and fling him away. The amount of force he used was noticeably less.

Alex was preparing to double around and attack when Vardis’ riposte hit her.

The hangar disappeared.

Alex was at home in the living room. Her parents were on the couch. Their skin had been peeled back, and their eye sockets were empty. The room smelled like rotting flesh, and the smell was creeping up Alex’s nose. She screamed and took a step back.

Her parents stood and shambled toward her, growling words under their breath that made no sense, for they had no tongues. Alex knew what they were saying anyway.

You did this. You did this to us.

Alex screamed and screamed and shut her eyes tight. When she opened them, she was back in the hangar, curled in a ball on the floor. As she got back to her feet, she saw Vardis flying at her.

He landed on top of her hard and wrapped his hands around her throat, his face inches away from hers.

Alex choked as she tried to get out of Vardis’ grip. Even though she was panicking, Alex knew he had made a mistake. She reached up with her bionic arm and grabbed his neck with as much force as she could.

Vardis gasped for breath as he released her.

Alex flicked her wrist, drawing her scythe.

Before Alex could attack, Vardis pressed both hands to Alex’s head. The air around Alex shimmered, then she felt the weight of a thousand jackhammers hit her in the forehead.

The ground beneath her skull broke apart from the sheer amount of force. It was all Alex could do to shield herself.

Roy hit Vardis from the side and knocked the alien off her. She rolled away, holding her head as blood poured from her nose.

Out of the corner of her eye, Alex saw that Roy wasn’t letting up. He had grabbed the alien and pulled him to his feet. Roy punched him in the stomach, and as Vardis doubled over, the mech rider brought his elbow down on his neck.

Vardis stumbled back, raising his hands as if begging Roy to relent.

Roy cracked his knuckles and walked toward Vardis, but grabbed the side of his head and screamed in pain.

Vardis dashed forward, jumped up, and delivered a roundhouse kick to Roy’s head, sending the rider into a pile of debris from one of Vardis’ earlier attacks.

Then the alien lashed out with his telekinesis at Alex, hitting her in the chest.

Alex tumbled across the floor as Vardis lifted a tank into the air, positioning it right over her. He brought the tank down.

Alex reached out, trying to stop the tank from crushing her.

The tank froze in midair, vibrating from the stress of the two opposing psychics.

Roy slipped behind Vardis and put the alien in a half-Nelson.

The alien lost his focus, and Alex was able to move the tank far enough to be out of danger.

As Vardis struggled to get away from Roy, Alex rushed over and punched him in the face with her bionic arm. Vardis’ body slumped, and Alex hammered the alien with another blow. His body went limp, although Roy continued to hold him up. “Finish him,” he growled.

Alex looked at Vardis, who had blood trickling from his eyes. “I think he’s finished.”

Suddenly Vardis surged up, and the lights in the hangar went black. Alex felt herself tumbling, and she could no longer tell if she was in the real world or in the manipulation the alien had cast. Either way, she had been wrong. He was only getting started.

Chapter Four

“We can end this right now, Vardis! It doesn’t have to be a fight!”

Alex was stalling. Even though she and Roy had gotten the jump on Vardis a couple of times during the fight, it was becoming obvious that he outclassed them. Every time Alex thought they had the alien, he tossed them off and kept going.

Chine was going to be needed for this one. Alex wasn’t sure where he was, though. Roy had mentioned earlier that everyone had been evacuated. On top of that, Vardis was doing something to block communications.

Alex was able to reach Chine through a shared dream with Vardis when she was at home, though. The distance then had been greater, and she’d been under much more stress. If she’d contacted Chine then, she’d be able to do it now.

All Alex needed was for Vardis to focus on something other than killing her for a second. It was too hard to concentrate while dodging tanks.

“We both want the same thing—the end of the Dark One. There’s no reason one of us has to die.”

Vardis’ psychic energy lashed out of his body, tearing through a helicopter at his right. “One of us isn’t going to die. Both of you are.”

The ground in front of Vardis was vibrating from the energy coming off his body.

Alex focused on Chine, searching for him and concentrating on her message. Chine! I need you! Vardis is going to kill us!

She put everything she had into it, and as she focused, her skin grew hot, just like in the dream space. Without warning, flames burst out over her skin and shot from her eyes. As suddenly as the flames had erupted, they disappeared.

Alex fell to the floor, drained. She could hardly keep her eyes open. This was the most energy she’d ever expended using the draconic fluid in her blood. It felt as if she’d used it up.

Roy stepped in front of Alex and aimed his pistols at Vardis. “You take another step this way, and you’re gonna have a hole the size of a watermelon in your head, if there’s anything left.”

Vardis cackled as he floated into the air. “If you could have killed me, human, you would have. There’s no need to lie to yourself.”

Roy chuckled as he fired at Vardis, who waved away the blasts. “That’s because I’ve been playing with a handicap. Didn’t think I was going to have to bring out the big guns.” He slammed his hands together, and the exo-suit linked his fingers. He aimed his index fingers at the alien as if they were a gun. “Bang.”

The tips of Roy’s index fingers began to give off a faint blue light, then a plasma blast the size of a small car burst out, pushing him back against Alex.

It went straight at Vardis, whose eyes widened in fear. He tossed up a psychic shield as the plasma blast engulfed him.

Roy ran over to Alex and helped her to her feet. “Come on, we need to take cover. I don’t know how much juice this thing has.” He ran off, dragging Alex behind him. “Speaking of juice, how are you holding up?”

Alex leaned on the tank they were taking cover behind. “Tired, but I’ll make it. I don’t know if I can launch any more psychic attacks, but other than that, I can hang. What’s the plan?”

“Uh, now that calling for backup is out of the question, I’m thinking we maybe try not dying?”

Vardis’ scream rang through the hangar as the ground trembled. “He’s losing it,” Alex said. “He was referring to himself with the royal ‘we’ earlier, and you saw the look in his eyes. He’s unhinged.”

Roy was looking at the power reserves on his suit. “I was thinking it had more to do with the whole ‘wipe out an entire universe without thinking twice’ vibe but you know, to each their own.”

“I reached out to Chine, but I don’t know if he heard me, and I don’t think I can do it again.”

Roy nodded as he checked over the side of the tank for Vardis. “Guess it boils down to us. Thought you should know, you fight better than most people with three times your experience. And I don’t think I’ve ever met a kid with as much heart as you.”

Alex clapped Roy on the shoulder. “It’s cute how you get all sentimental when you think you’re going to die. Has Myrddin seen this side of you?”

“More than I’d like to admit. You ready? I’ll go left—”

“I’ll hit him from the right. Let’s go.”

They split up and went their respective ways. As Roy ran through the maze of broken tanks and helicopters, he kicked a truck-sized amount of debris out of his way, then stepped into the open.

A tank flew at Roy. He barely jumped out of the way, then rolled on the floor and fired two more plasma blasts in the direction the tank had come from.

Meanwhile, Alex circled around to flank Vardis while the alien’s attention was on Roy.

Vardis was out in the open as well, but a psychic shield surrounded him—a giant bubble with a blue aura.

Alex assumed the shield would protect Vardis from psychic blasts and a reasonable amount of physical damage, but she wasn’t planning on limiting it to “reasonable.”

She charged him at full speed. While the alien was focused on deflecting Roy’s plasma attacks, Alex leaped, whipped out her scythe, and slashed his shield open.

Vardis spun, catching Alex in midair. He pointed, and she slammed into the wall.

The rider tried to move, but she could not. It felt like a giant hand was squashing her into the wall. The alien wasn’t holding back anymore.

Roy clapped his hands and fired another giant bolt of plasma.

This time Vardis was ready. He flew toward the ceiling, letting the plasma race past him. Then he yanked Roy into the air and held him there for a moment before slamming him into the ground.

Roy was trying to get to his feet when Vardis grabbed him again and flung him into the air before sending him back into the crater the first attack had created.

Vardis laughed loudly as white energy shot from his eyes.

Alex felt the alien’s grip tightening around her body.

Once more, Roy was thrown into the air, only to be brought back down with enough force to break more than a few bones. This time Roy didn’t get back up. He laid there, unconscious.

Alex struggled against Vardis’ grip. “Get up, Roy! Get up!”

Vardis whirled to face Alex. “You can’t get up when you’re dead, human!”

Come on, Chine! If you’re gonna get here, you better make it fast, Alex thought.

Vardis floated over to Alex and stopped nearly nose to nose with her. “Did you think you had a chance?”

Alex tried to fight off his attack, but her mind was too tired. “What now? You kill me and go to Middang3ard like nothing happened? Don’t you think everyone is going to be suspicious if Roy and I don’t show up?”

“You’re in the medbay, and Roy said he was going to stay with you until you got better.”

“And the staff here? They’re just going to pretend they didn’t see anything.”

Vardis pressed his finger to Alex’s forehead. “A few human minds to warp? Hardly a problem. You should know by now how fragile the human psyche is.”

Alex tried to pull away from Vardis’ finger. “Doesn’t seem to be any more delicate than yours. Remember, I was in your head as well, and what I saw didn’t look particularly strong.”

Vardis winced at Alex’s words. “Sometimes the things we see, they change us. We don’t always get to choose how they do it. Change just happens.”

The two looked at each other in silence for some time, Vardis’ words hanging over Alex like an axe ready to fall on her neck. “You don’t have to be changed like this,” she offered.

Vardis turned away from the rider. “No, Alex. Someone must be strong enough to destroy the Dark One. I have that strength. I will not fail.”

Alex felt a familiar warmth in the back of her head. It was Chine, but she was too tired to hear him. There was only a faint feeling of reassurance.

All Alex had to do was keep Vardis talking. She’d noticed the more she tugged at him, the harder time he seemed to have fighting. That was all this was now. He was distracted enough not to outright kill her and Roy. “What happened, Vardis?” Alex asked. “What really happened? Everything in your dreams, in your mind, was all jumbled. What did you see?”

The alien’s shoulders relaxed and he sighed heavily. When he looked at Alex, his eyes had returned to normal, and his lower lip trembled. “I don’t know. I really don’t know. There are things I remember, but I’m not sure if they’re my memories or if someone placed them there.”

Alex wanted to take his words and throw them back in his face since apparently his mind could be broken as well, but that would have sent him into a rage that could easily end with him killing her right then and there. “Did someone tamper with your mind?”

Vardis’ eyes hardened, and he looked like he was preparing to fly into another murderous rage. “It doesn’t matter. I know the Dark One is real, and I know what he is capable of. That is all that matters. Goodbye, Alex.”

Alex felt an invisible force tighten around her throat and wrists. She couldn’t breathe. Her lungs were starting to burn, and everything was going fuzzy. “Wait, wait…”

Vardis crossed his arms and laughed harshly. “What for?”

The concrete wall Alex was pinned to exploded forward, throwing concrete and debris everywhere as Chine’s head burst through the wall.

Vardis released her, and she fell to the floor.

Chine scooped Alex into his claws, where she lay limp for a moment, almost too weak to stand. I am here, Alex.

Alex shakily got to her feet, peering over Chine’s claws at Vardis. Glad to hear that. Now let’s toast that bastard.

Chine smiled toothily before loosing a blast of ether fire that consumed Vardis.

Chapter Five

Alex climbed up Chine’s back and laid down, anchoring her feet to Chine so she wouldn’t slide off. She felt ready to pass out. The battle had been grueling, but it was over. An extended stay in the medbay sounded heavenly.

Then she remembered Roy and sat bolt upright. “Chine, we need to check on Roy!”

The dragon swooped from the rafters to Roy’s body. Alex forced herself up and jumped off Chine. She ran over to Roy’s side and knelt next to him. “Roy! Roy!”

Roy rolled over, groaning loudly. His nose looked broken and was gushing blood, but other than that, he looked fine. “Don’t know why we stopped using these suits. These things are tough.”

Alex helped Roy sit up. “I don’t think you can give the suit all the credit for you still breathing.”

“Don’t want to get too full of myself. My head is big enough.” The mech rider leaned back, wincing from the pain, and looked at Chine. “Glad you made it when you did. I don’t know what kind of steroids Vardis was on, but he was a monster to take down. Wouldn’t be surprised if he would have given a couple of dragons a run for their money.”

Alex took a seat next to Roy. She needed to be off her feet for a little bit. “Yeah, talk about good timing. How’d you find us, Chine?”

The dragon curled around Alex and Roy, smoke coming from his nostrils. I’ve been looking since we were escorted off the base. It seemed odd that we all had to leave you while you were in the medbay. The captain who issued the order did not seem to be in complete control of his faculties.

“Vardis probably inserted the idea into his head. The poor man most likely didn’t know the idea was false.”

Chine nodded slowly. That was what I assumed after I remembered how strong a telepath you said Vardis was. It is not a simple task to rewrite someone’s memory; even I can’t do that. But once I had my doubts, I did not stop searching for your thoughts and your heart. Unfortunately, I’m too large to sneak away from a convoy without being missed.

Alex laughed as she imagined the dragon trying to sneak through the Nest. “Yeah, that’s hard to imagine. Where did you come from?”

Boundless and I were responsible for transporting the shard to a collider transport near here. There are a few military bases with designated colliders, this being one of them. From there, we were being taken to another base to get outfitted with augments in case something came up.

“How come Myrddin didn’t have you go back to Middang3ard?”

Roy stepped in to answer that one. “He probably had them hang back in case something happened here. Boundless might be one of our best teams, but you aren’t the only forces Myrddin has at his disposal. The shard’s going to be heavily guarded. It would make more sense to have you guys stationed here in case something happened.”

“Something like Vardis trying to kill you and me.”

“Exactly.”

Roy struggled to get to his feet, leaning on Alex’s head like a makeshift cane while hauling himself upright. Then he reached down and helped her up. “Come on, we should check out the corpse. Knowing Myrddin, he’ll probably want to ship it to some science department and have it dissected.”

Alex thought of Abby getting Vardis’ body in the mail and how much it would freak her out. “Oh, yeah, I imagine that’ll make everyone’s day.”

The two of them walked over to where Vardis’ corpse lay, followed by Chine, who towered over them.

Vardis’ skin was burned to a crisp, and his body, which lay face-down looked like a broken toy. Alex thought the alien’s corpse looked pathetic, almost tragic. The last few moments she’d shared with him had deeply confused her. Even though Vardis had the drive, it didn’t seem like he understood where it was coming from. “I think someone tampered with Vardis’ memories,” Alex suggested.

Roy rolled Vardis’ body over, knelt, and peered into the alien’s eyes. “Wouldn’t know how to tell. The only training I have in all this psychic stuff is protecting my mind. I don’t know how to tell if someone has been or is currently being manipulated. Not my field of expertise. But even if he was, you gotta hand it to the guy. He sure as hell knew how to put up a fight.”

“The Dark One is stronger than he was.”

Roy looked over his shoulder at Alex, his face puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Alex thought it was obvious. “Vardis nearly tore us apart. If Chine hadn’t gotten the jump on him, he might have been able to take him as well. He destroyed nearly twice as many ships as anyone else on the moon without breaking a sweat. Vardis was the strongest being I’ve ever met. And the Dark One is supposed to be even stronger?”

Roy shrugged as he pulled out a cigar and lit it. “Yeah, he is stronger. Don’t mean we can’t beat him, though. You saw today that just because someone is tough, it doesn’t mean they can’t die. Vardis was the biggest, baddest son-of-a-gun you’ve fought so far. Now he’s dead. The Dark One is next. Don’t tell me you’re starting to crack.”

“No, it’s not that. I just mean, if I was as strong as Vardis and knew there was something stronger than me out there, I might have been insane enough to want to use that shard. It would probably seem like a good idea.”

Roy walked over to Alex and ruffled her hair. “Well, I’m glad you’re not that strong, then. Come on, we should regroup with the rest of the team. They’re probably wondering where Chine is by now. I’ll radio for someone to take care of this. Comm should be back up with this asshat taken care of.”

Roy pulled up his comm and frowned as he heard static. Then he pulled up his HUD menu. There was nothing there. “That’s odd.”

A massive psychic blast erupted, sending Alex, Roy, and Chine flying.

The cracked skin on Vardis’ body started to peel back like the burned outer layer of a marshmallow. A slimy, slippery Vardis emerged from the thin layer of burned, dead skin. He looked untouched by Chine’s fire attack.

The alien stretched out his hand as if he were getting used to his new skin. “I’m flattered that you had such kind things to say about me when you thought I was dead. It’s fitting for warriors such as yourselves.”

Without wasting another word, Vardis exploded into the sky, taking off in the direction Alex could only imagine led to the shard.

Alex rubbed her head, trying to shake away the ringing in her ears. She wasn’t ready to keep fighting, but it didn’t look like she had a choice. “Wait, Vardis is screwed. The shard is on Middang3ard. He can’t get out of this realm without the collider, and that’s where everyone is.”

Roy was on his feet, and a vein in the side of his neck was bulging. “Unless he has got more tricks we don’t know about, which wouldn’t surprise me. I didn’t think the S.O.B. could fake his death so easily. Why the hell did he do that?”

“Information. He obviously was so focused on the fight that he couldn’t just lift the masterplan from our minds, so he waited until Chine conveniently explained everything that’s happened since he attacked me. Vardis might be insane, but he knows how to plan.”

“That makes our next step easy. I’m loading the coordinates into your anchor. Looks like he’s far enough away that however he was jamming our comm isn’t working anymore. Or maybe he just doesn’t care.”

Alex checked her anchor for the coordinates, and just as Roy had said, the jamming to their system was gone. “You want to talk to the team, and I’ll focus on riding? I need to talk to Chine.”

Alex climbed onto the dragon’s back, and Roy followed. She anchored and then pulled out a pair of auxiliary reins that she attached to Chine’s back and then handed to Roy. “Hold on,” she advised. “I’ll take it as slow as I can.”

Roy waved away Alex’s concerns. “Don’t worry about me. This isn’t the first time I’ve been on the back of a dragon without an anchor. Do you think they just shove us into mechs without bothering to teach us the basics? You fly as hard as you can.”

Alex nodded and pulled back on her anchor, launching Chine into the air. You can find him, right, Chine?

Chine replied, If we work together, we can find him. He’s trying to cover his tracks by blocking his energy from us, but together, we can find him. Reach out, Dustling. Reach out and grab him.

Alex did just that, focusing on scanning the sky for Vardis’ energy. She knew that energy intimately since it had tortured her mentally and tried to kill her for the last two hours. It shouldn’t be difficult to find.

The rider and dragon searched for a little bit before Alex picked up a trace. She zeroed in on it, directing Chine to fly after the flicker. “Hey, Roy, you get in touch with everyone yet?”

Roy’s voice came over Alex’s comm. “Yeah, I did. It’s going to take them a little time to get prepared, though. The facility’s only makeshift. Most of the dragon hardware they have still needs to be set up, and Boundless is going to have to bring every weapon that they can get their hands on to this fight.”

Alex was about to answer Roy when she felt a sharp pain near the back of her skull. Then her mind erupted in agony, but not the sort she felt from Vardis’ attacks. This was much different. It was as if a single thought were repeating as often and loudly in Alex’s head as possible.

She knew exactly what it was.

The Dark One.

Alex stopped trying to fight it and let the Dark One in. The world around her faded away, and she was in the dark place with a thin sliver of light in the distance. The thought was coming from the light. “He comes for the shard,” the Dark One growled.

Alex wanted to roll her eyes. She couldn’t believe this was why the Dark One had invaded her mind. “You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know.”

“Have you rethought my proposition?

“Uh-uh, what did we talk about when it came to names? Use mine.”

“Alex. What is your decision?”

Alex hadn’t thought about the Dark One’s promise since he made it. Something had appealed to her about it, and she was starting to think that was because of the Dark One’s influence. Since then, she’d grown stronger, strong enough to ward it off unconsciously. “I’ll keep Vardis from using the weapon, but I’m not giving it to you, and I have no desire whatsoever to join your army. I’m going to destroy you.”

“I advise you to—”

“I’m done with this.”

Alex cut the link, violently forcing the Dark One from her mind. It surprised her as much as it must have surprised him.

Suddenly Alex was back in the real world, riding Chine, who had taken over during his rider’s brief lapse. She looked down at her anchor, which told her they were only a couple of minutes from the other base. Vardis might already be there, but it didn’t matter. He hadn’t beaten her yet. Why would this time be any different?

Chapter Six

By the time they arrived, the base’s alarms were going off. Even from far off, Alex could see that a huge chunk of the base had been destroyed. Vardis had found the shard.

They landed near the makeshift stables, where Team Boundless was trying to prep their dragons for the counteroffensive.

Alex jumped off Chine as her team ran up to greet her.

Jim gave Alex a hug, holding her as tight as he could. “It’s good to see you made it out of there all right. We’ve been trying to get in touch with the base since we left. Everyone just assumed it was a communication malfunction. We had a couple of people from the base tell us it was. It must have all been part of Vardis’ plan.”

Brath’s arms were folded, and he was stewing. “Yeah, it looks like the asshole pulled the wool over all of our eyes. Even if we didn’t trust him, I don’t think any of us thought he was going to try something like this. Getting the shard transported and everyone to move to a base that hardly runs was a stroke of genius.”

Jollies flittered to Alex’s shoulder and landed on it. “We were worried about you after the explosion. You are okay, right?”

Alex rubbed the back of her head, which had been hurting since the Dark One invaded her mind. “Yeah, I’ll live. I’m only tired. Vardis has been drawing this out for a long time. It’s like he doesn’t get tired.”

Gill, who was still working on setting up the augment station, called over his shoulder, “He does seem to be on a very different level than we once thought. He’s already removed the shard and left with it, and we’re stuck here, prepping for a fight that might very well be over by the time we leave. Got any idea about what to do next?”

Alex crouched as she thought about what her next step was going to be. If she was able to track Vardis to this base, maybe she’d be able to do the same when she was in Middang3ard. The alien’s energy was unmistakable. “Guess the first step is to find out how bad the damage is. See if we can find out where he went from the collider logs. Roy and I will check it out. You guys keep getting ready for the fight.”

The team went back to their duties as Alex and Roy headed for the collider. They didn’t need to know the layout of the base. All they had to do was follow the path of destruction Vardis had left.

From the looks of it, he had torn through the base looking for the shard, which had been held in a special containment area.

Alex and Roy walked past the destroyed containment area. Wounded soldiers were being attended to by medics, but there didn’t seem to be any casualties.

The riders followed the wreckage Vardis had left in his wake. It wasn’t long until they reached the collider, which was still running, a portal open on the teleportation pad. “That can’t be good,” Alex murmured as she and Roy ascended the railing. “Aren’t those supposed to close after they’ve been used?”

Roy opened the log. “Yeah, they close instantly. They can’t be kept open.”

Alex stared at the portal, trying to make sense of what she was looking at. “Do most people know that?”

“What do you mean?”

“That the portals always close. Would someone who’s unfamiliar with them know they don’t remain open when they’re not in use?”

Roy continued to look through the list of potential coordinates. “I don’t see why they would.”

“This isn’t real, not the way we think it is. Vardis is playing another trick on us. What was the last place the teleporter accessed?”

“Looks like the Wasps' Nest. Vardis probably went there to set off the shard. There’s a lot of magical energy to draw from there. The kin would probably love that.”

Alex shook her head as she came over to look at the console. “No, I don’t think so. Vardis said they were elementals, and magic isn’t an element, it’s energy. The shard probably wouldn’t work there. It’s another distraction Vardis put up for us, just like that portal. Which isn’t really there.”

Roy looked at the portal and then to Alex. “You sure about that? Because I’m pretty sure I see a portal.”

“If it really were an open portal, don’t you think there would be technicians trying to shut it down? If the system was broken that badly, this whole base would be in danger.”

Roy nodded in understanding. “He’s messing with our minds again.”

Alex shut her eyes, focusing her tired mind on dispelling the telepathic fog Vardis had placed over the room. Or maybe he had inserted it into their minds, along with everyone else’s at the base. Was Vardis strong enough to affect hundreds of people at the same time?

Roy pointed at one of the ceiling’s corners. “He destroyed the cameras in here as well.”

“Hold on. I’m trying to concentrate.”

Alex turned her focus inward, trying to find anything that didn’t belong. She had the same feeling as when she’d tried to remember any information about her parents after Vardis’ attack. The sensation was recognizable.

There it was—the telepathic schism.

Alex slashed at it with her mind and did the same to Roy’s, which caused him to yelp. “Oh, crap, you weren’t joking,” he said.

When Alex opened her eyes, the portal was gone. In its place was what looked like a small tear in the fabric of space and time. It distorted everything around it, crackling with the same energy that came off of Vardis. It was the same energy Alex had seen when the grenade in the back of the van exploded. “It’s a psychic mine,” Alex explained. “He was hoping we’d try to use the fake portal and set it off.”

“Hm, that’s ominous. Any idea how to get rid of it?”

“None. You should call someone to take care of that before we leave. Now, if you were going to go to one place that had unlimited elemental potential in all Middang3ard, where would it be?”

“They mentioned that volcano, and Vardis was there for that briefing, I think. If he’s anywhere, that’s where I’d bet.”

Alex pointed to the console. “Hit the coordinates and let’s go.”

Roy started searching the console. “No collider opens there. We’re going to have to travel some of the way.”

Chine flew through the hole in the ceiling and landed near the dragon teleportation section of the collider. Are we ready?

Roy hit the teleportation terminal, and a portal ripped into their world. “We are now,” Alex said as she ran to the dragon. She jumped onto his back and anchored herself as Roy followed, then they flew into the portal.

Alex felt herself tumbling through the portal, watching thousands of stars race past as she was pulled between the realms.

They landed on a teleportation portal in Middang3ard in the middle of a base not very different from the one they just left, except the technology was much more advanced.

Alex sent the coordinates they had used to the rest of Boundless and ordered them to come through to Middang3ard and head for the volcano as soon as possible. Alex, Roy, and Chine were going to find Vardis and try to stall him.

The attendants at the collider stared at the dragon in confusion. “Uh, excuse me,” one of them said. “You weren’t cleared for teleportation.”

Alex leaned over his neck. “I know, I’m sorry, but it’s an emergency. I’m Alex Bound. I should have full clearance.”

The attendant pulled up his HUD menu and scanned it for a few seconds before nodding and giving Alex a thumbs-up. “Did anyone else come through here recently?” Alex asked. “Someone without the proper clearance?”

The attendant looked at Alex, scrunching his face as he thought, as did the rest of the attendants. They looked like they were trying to remember something but couldn’t quite get there. “Uh, no, no one else came through,” the attendant finally said.

Alex looked at Roy, who was starting to figure it out too. “Vardis must have tampered with their memories.”

Chine rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. He was able to cast an illusion on you from between realms and distort the memories of those here as well. I’ve never seen a telepath that strong before.

“You worried, Chine?”

Slightly. But what else is there to do?

The dragon was right. Alex pulled up on her anchor and sent him into the skies of Middang3ard to chase Vardis.

Chapter Seven

It had been so long since Alex had been in Middang3ard that she hardly recognized it. She was captivated by the skies, the first ones she had ever seen, in passing as she was taken to Middang3ard.

In many ways, Middang3ard felt more like home than Earth ever could since she’d seen Middang3ard in VR for such a long time. Until she’d gotten her eyes, Middang3ard had been all she’d ever seen, other than her textbooks and holographic lessons.

This was what was at stake.

Vardis had tried to pose his offer as having Alex destroy a place she didn’t care about, but he hadn’t known that Alex felt more at home on Middang3ard than anywhere else.

Alex quickly pushed her feelings aside. Nostalgia wasn’t going to help her. What was important now was getting to Vardis as fast as possible. She drove her anchor forward to push Chine to maximum speed.

It was obvious that Vardis was going to make it to the volcano before they did; nothing could be done about that. But Vardis was crafty, so there was going to be something waiting for them when they arrived.

Alex ran through the different scenarios she could anticipate Vardis hitting her with. There was telekinetic energy. Then there was telepathy, either Vardis trying to influence her thoughts and perspective, or attempting to envelop her in a full-on psychic attack, pulling at her memories to confuse her about reality.

Any of those options, Alex felt like she could handle. She’d already experienced them firsthand.

She tried to lock onto Vardis’ energy. Even from so far away, she could sense it. He was heading to the volcano. From what she could tell, he hadn’t arrived yet. Hopefully, that meant he wouldn’t be able to set up a good defense.

Even though Vardis was insane, there was something almost admirable about how much he was willing to throw away, to sacrifice for his single-minded desire to kill the Dark One. Alex wondered if she’d ever be capable of that kind of conviction.

Then she wondered whether she would ever want that kind of resolute determination, the ability to kill billions of people. She would never do anything like that, but she was starting to see why someone would.

They were coming up on the volcano.

It sat in the middle of an island that was mostly covered with jungle. The island was the size of a small country, and there didn’t seem to be any fauna on it. The volcano looked angry, ready to explode at any given moment. Smoke plumed from the open chasm in the fiery mountain.

As Chine neared the island, Roy asked, “This is where we’re supposed to be fighting?”

Alex didn’t bother answering. She was still wondering why Vardis hadn’t started using the shard yet. There was no way they’d beaten him to the island. She could feel his energy lighting up the area. “Yeah, something is going to happen here.”

Rather than go to the mouth of the volcano, Alex decided to land Chine at its base. She and Roy got off the dragon and stared at the volcano they were going to have to scale. “Any reason you decided to land us as far from the fight as possible?” Roy asked.

Alex hardly heard him. She was busy tending the augments that were still on the dragon. He’d been outfitted with the bare minimum for a fight, probably having guided one of the military personnel on how to attach them. “Chine needs to be looked after,” Alex explained. “I’m not taking him into a fight until I do that.”

She got to work draining the draconic fluid from the augments. There was a build-up of fluid, but it didn’t take long. Alex finished by plunging her anchor into Chine’s spine and absorbing the rest of the fluid. “He’s waiting for us,” she said. “He could have summoned the kin by now, but he hasn’t. I think he sees us as on par with the Dark One. We’re one more step he has to take before he can get rid of him.”

Roy clicked his tongue as he checked the energy on his exo-suit. “Sounds like this guy is getting crazier by the moment.”

Alex was looking up the side of the volcano. It wouldn’t take long to scale it with Chine, but she was worried about what she was going to find when she got to the summit. Whatever Vardis had was going to hit hard, and she wasn’t certain if she was ready for it.

Chapter Eight

The three started to make their way up the side of the volcano. Roy wanted to fly Chine straight up it, thinking they were wasting valuable time, but Alex convinced him that this was the wiser tack. She couldn’t explain why, but it had something to do with her connection to Vardis’ mind.

Vardis’ thoughts were drenching the volcano. It was a physical presence. All three of the interlopers felt the effect.

At first, the feeling was subtle. Alex felt it as mild irritation without knowing what she was annoyed by. Neither Roy nor Chine were talking, yet her mind was replaying nearly everything Roy had said over the last few minutes, then days, then months, looking for something to be bothered by.

Alex saw Roy casting disapproving glances at her. She didn’t need him to say anything, nor did she need to read his mind. It was all over his face.

She wasn’t sure if that was the reason for the silence. Was Roy judging her? Did he not think she was capable of handling this?

That was when Alex noticed the oddity of her feelings. There was no reason for her to be focusing on those things. For one, negativity wasn’t going to help. Second, she was looking for issues that weren’t there.

Alex stopped walking and stared at the smoke rising from the tip of the volcano. “You guys feel that, right?”

Roy sat down on a rock, wiping sweat from his brow. He looked like he was ready to snap at Alex, but he held his tongue. “You going to explain what you’re talking about?”

“How annoyed are you with me right now?”

Roy slowly shook his head and he avoided Alex’s eyes. “I don’t think that’s appropriate to be talking about right now. I’d rather not be talking to you at all, so there you go.”

“Do you know why? What did I do to annoy you?”

Roy went red and stumbled over his words. “Hey! I didn’t bring it up. You’re the one—”

“No, I mean, can you remember anything specifically.”

Roy furrowed his brow as he thought about Alex’s question. “Actually, I can’t. I can’t think of one reason why I’d be pissed at you. I mean, I should feel the complete opposite.”

“It’s Vardis; he’s messing with our heads again. Like I said before, he’s not going to be content with activating the shard. He wants to torture us.”

Roy groaned and leaned back against the rock he was sitting on. “Okay, I did PsyOps training, but it was nothing like this. Most people would have burned out by now. How does this guy have the energy to keep this up so long?”

Chine chimed in. His race must have a propensity for psychic powers, and he is probably considered strong by their standards.

Alex hadn’t taken her eyes off the black smoke coming from the volcano. It was thicker than the clouds surrounding the volcano. “It’s just going to get worse the farther up we go, and I know he has more planned.”

Roy stood and wiped away sweat again. “I liked the guy a lot better when he was just hurling tanks at us.”

Alex chuckled for the first time in what felt like hours. “Honestly, that was easier to deal with. Come on, we should keep moving. I’ll do what I can to force Vardis out of our heads.”

They continued up the mountain, cutting through a thick swath of jungle, still keeping quiet as Alex attempted to unhook Vardis’ grasp from their minds. It was tiring work. At first, Alex felt like she was stumbling around in the dark, but over time, she got a feel for it and reached in with telepathic fingers, searching for whatever stood out and slowly prying the foul thoughts out of her mind and Roy’s.

Alex didn’t bother with the dragon. He had enough experience with telepaths to guard himself.

The whole process was exhausting. They’d only been walking for thirty minutes, and Alex already felt like she could pass out. “We need to find water,” she moaned.

Roy was dripping with sweat, and he nodded and pulled up a map on his HUD. “Hm, looks like there’s some a little way from here. And guess what? Our comms are still working. Vardis must be prepared for a fight.”

“He better be. Let’s get that water.”

Roy moved to the front of their group and led them off the path they were following. He headed south until they came across a clear spring that was filled by a stream trickling from the side of the mountain. It looked like an oasis and reminded Alex of the date Jim had taken her on.

She sat down by the spring and dipped her head under the water. Its coolness was beyond refreshing. Alex pulled her head back and flipped her hair out of her face before cupping her hands and drawing water to drink.

Roy knelt next to Alex and started guzzling water as if he were a wild animal. Finally, he sat back and burped loudly, then he reached into the chest pocket of his exo-suit and pulled out two protein bars. He tossed one to Alex. “Haven’t had a field mission like this in a long time. Forgot how exhausting this crap is without a mech.”

Alex pointed at Roy’s exo-suit. “Isn’t that helping?”

Roy shook his head. “It’s off now. Trying to conserve energy. Right now, it just feels like I’m wearing a hunk of metal.”

“We should get going.”

Alex stood to leave but stopped cold. There was something at the bottom of the spring that looked like a body. “You see that?”

Roy peered into the water, and without hesitation, leaped into the spring.

Alex watched Roy descend into the water, trying to figure out why she felt like she was frozen with fear. “Chine, what’s going on?”

The dragon didn’t answer.

Alex turned to see what was wrong with him. The dragon was on his back, twitching violently and breathing heavily. “Chine! Chine!” Alex screamed as she ran to the dragon. “Are you—”

Chine loosed a heavy sigh and went limp.

Alex shook his shoulder, tears welling in her eyes, but it didn’t wake him. She watched his chest slowly stop rising. “Chine!”

Roy called to Alex. He was making his way out of the water, holding a body. It was Jim, all bloated and blue-green from rot, his eyes empty sockets that mud had collected in. As Roy struggled with Jim’s body, he tripped and fell forward. The corpse rolled in front of Alex.

Alex backed away. “It’s not real. It’s not real. None of this is real!”

Jim’s rotten hand grabbed Alex’s ankle and clawed its way up her leg as she screamed and tried to kick him off. “We’re all going to die, Alex,” he moaned. “We’re all going to die today!”

The spring’s water turned dark red and exploded upward like a tornado of blood. It was pulling Jim back into it, and he wasn’t letting go of Alex’s leg. She fell into the mud as Jim was dragged back into the water. “We’re all going to die, and it’s all your fault. All your fault. ALL YOUR FAULT!”

Jim was halfway into the blood lake now, his bony hands digging into Alex’s leg.

She knew that this was an illusion. That didn’t change the fact that she was trapped in it. She couldn’t shake the smell of Jim’s decaying flesh or the bloody water she was being pulled into. What if she died in one of these illusions? Would she wake up as from a dream, or would she die in the real world?

“ALL YOUR FAULT! ALL YOUR FAULT!”

“I know!” Alex screamed. “I know it will be!”

Jim stopped chanting and stared at Alex with a slack jaw.

Alex kicked the corpse in the face, breaking the skull in half. “I know it’ll be my fault. I accept that.”

The illusion disappeared. Alex was sitting in front of the spring, Roy and Chine drinking water at her side. She had no idea how long she’d been out. “Come on, we need to keep going.”

Roy could see the stress on Alex’s face, but he said nothing.

Alex climbed onto Chine’s back as they continued to make their way up the side of the mountain. She needed rest more than anything else. The attacks from Vardis had worn her down. Even though they weren’t real, they were draining, which must be Vardis’ goal. A war of attrition.

She couldn’t even take a quick nap. The dream world was just as dangerous as being awake, or maybe more so. The most she could do was let her body rest, close her eyes, and let herself drown in darkness for a little bit.

Chine and Roy cut up the side of the volcano, taking the most direct route possible. The dragon took point, cutting down any trees in their way with his claws, while Alex drifted in and out of sleep, trying to keep her eyes open and failing miserably.

Roy watched Alex fitfully trying to rest. “You think she’s going to be okay?”

Chine continued without breaking speed. I’m watching over her.

“I figured, but that’s not my question. Is she going to be okay?”

Chine sighed, emitting a plume of black smoke. Her mind is young. The sort of attacks she’s gone through with such regularity would have driven you insane. You’d be a slobbering, incoherent mess. She is not. This will not be what breaks Alex Bound. The fight ahead, though? I do not know if any of us will be okay.

Roy nodded as he jogged to catch up with the dragon. “Not worried about that. We take each fight as it comes. I just want to know if she’ll be okay until then.”

She is strong. She will survive.

Roy looked at Chine. “Hey, we’ve never talked before. Are you psychic or something?”

Chine raised one of his scaly brows.

“Never mind,” the mech rider muttered. “Stupid question.”

After another twenty minutes of hiking, they neared the summit. Chine stopped and jerked his shoulders to wake Alex up.

Alex slid off Chine’s back and landed on her feet in front of Roy. She was smiling.

Roy couldn’t help smiling back. “What’s got you looking so happy?”

Alex went over to the dragon and started to drain the draconic fluid from his claws. “Had a dream, a pretty good one. I snapped Vardis’ neck. It felt good, and I’m pretty sure Vardis wasn’t responsible for that vision. It was all mine.”

She leaped onto Chine’s back and anchored herself. “Let’s save the universe.”

Chapter Nine

As they flew, the air was thick with sulfur. It didn’t take long to reach the top.

The maw didn’t merely contain lava. There were sections of rock floating in it. They had to be constructs since there was no way anything natural could withstand the heat.

Alex felt like she was going to pass out until her uniform compensated for the heat. She looked at Roy, who was obviously struggling in his exo-suit. When he saw her worried face, he said, “Don’t worry, I’m still conserving power. I’m not going to faint on you. So, you think we got what it takes to end this?”

Alex wasn’t certain she did. Vardis had fought both Roy and her for the better part of the day. “We’re going to need reinforcements.”

“Already called them in, Team Boundless and more. All we have to do is survive for half an hour. You think that’s doable?”

Alex nodded. “There’s a reason he hasn’t activated the shard yet. He needs his strength to summon the kin. It’s not tech, it’s psychic. It must be. Same reason he didn’t go down the mountain to finish us off. He’s exhausted. That’s why he resorted to attacking me telepathically—to wear me down because he’s in the same state.

“Glad to finally get some good news.”

Chine banked around the volcano, coming in to land.

Alex could see Vardis. He was sitting on one of the stone platforms in the volcano’s throat. The alien’s legs were crossed as he meditated, the shard floating in front of him.

When Alex landed, she walked down the length of Chine’s back and drew her scythe. “Vardis! Let’s finish this!”

Vardis opened one of his eyes, bemused. He got to his feet, moving the shard behind him. “And here I was thinking you wouldn’t have the courage to face me again. Have you come to see how the Dark One finally meets his end?”

Alex twirled her scythe as she yawned. “The trash-talk is getting boring. Let’s get to it already.” She leaned forward, driving Chine at him.

Vardis seemed surprised by Alex’s straightforward attack but threw up a psychic shield at the last minute as Chine collided with him.

The two flew backward as Chine bit the shield, and Vardis’ eyes were wide with fear.

Alex decreased the strength of her anchor to Chine and ran down the dragon’s neck. She raised her scythe and swung it at Vardis, hitting his shield, which held up.

The alien stretched his arms out, exploding the shield into a psychic shockwave that knocked Alex and Chine away as Roy leaped off the dragon onto one of the platforms.

Once Vardis had space, he smiled sarcastically. “Who would have thought a nap would restore so much of your vigor?”

Alex rolled her shoulders, cracking her joints before stretching and touching her toes. “You wanted a fight, I wanted to make sure your last one was worth remembering.”

“Oh, it will be one for the books.”

Vardis vanished, reappearing right in front of Alex, on top of Chine. He formed a psychic ball in his hand and slammed it into her chest.

The force of the blast sent Alex skidding across the dragon’s back. She grabbed Chine’s tail and flipped herself back up. Then she dashed at Vardis, relying on her speed, and decked him in the face, knocking the alien to his knees.

Vardis didn’t even need to catch his breath. He reached out to his side and pulled Chine’s wing up with telekinesis.

Chine veered hard to the left, briefly losing control.

Alex’s anchor adjusted and pinned her feet to Chine’s back as the dragon did a barrel roll, Vardis still pulling on the dragon’s wing.

Alex drew her plasma pistol and fired two shots as Vardis raised his hand to form a shield. That was enough to let Chine regain control of his wing and straighten out.

From below, Roy fired a giant plasma bolt at Vardis, who simply raised his hand and dispersed the attack.

Alex reached out telekinetically and pushed Vardis back a few feet. It was enough to surprise him, and that was all Alex needed. She tossed her scythe at the alien, who ducked the attack.

Before Vardis could regain his balance, Alex was in his face. She kicked him in the chest, which knocked the wind out of him, then brought her elbow down on Vardis’ neck.

He hit Chine’s back and rolled over, then swung his feet around and tripped Alex.

Now she could see Vardis’ plan: stay on Chine’s back and basically nullify the dragon. That also cut off how much Roy was able to help, greatly reducing his shots so he didn’t hit the dragon. It was a good plan, but Alex wasn’t going to let it stand.

As Vardis stood back up, Alex ran at him and delivered a flying drop-kick that pushed Vardis to the edge of Chine’s back. Alex also pushed the alien telekinetically, sending him flying off.

Vardis caught himself in mid-air and rose, drawing his energy into a ball that he tossed at the dragon.

Alex pulled up on her anchor and yanked Chine into the air, and the blast flew past them. Then Alex leaned forward, driving the dragon at Vardis.

Chine launched an ether attack at Vardis, who swung to the right to avoid being caught in it. As he tried to reposition himself, Roy fired another massive plasma blast that hit him in the back.

The alien screamed as he turned to Roy. “Pathetic.”

Vardis rocketed at Roy, slamming into the rock in front of the human. He grabbed the mech rider by the throat and lifted him into the air.

Alex drove Chine toward Vardis, looking through her augment menu as quickly as possible to see what Chine had loaded. She launched flash-freeze grenades at the island Roy and Vardis were on.

Vardis raised his hand, stopping the grenades in mid-air and causing them to explode.

Alex hadn’t expected the trick to work on Vardis twice, which was why she was already sailing toward him, her scythe high above her head. She slashed through the wall of ice that had formed and kicked Vardis in the face.

Vardis stumbled back, but before Alex could attack again, he grabbed her head and sent a powerful telepathic attack screeching through it, causing her to shriek as pain ripped through her brain.

Disoriented, Alex stumbled back, nearing the edge of the slab she was on.

Chine swooped behind Alex and grasped her with one set of claws, reaching for Roy with the other.

Vardis stepped between Chine and Roy, raising his hand and stopping the dragon midway.

The dragon tried to force his way through Vardis’ power but couldn’t.

Roy took the opportunity to leap to an island farther away from Vardis and fired two shots that Vardis deflected easily.

Chine soared into the air, putting some space between him and Vardis as Alex composed herself.

The world stopped shaking, and she focused again. Alex looked down at her dragon anchor—another ten minutes before their reinforcements arrived.

Alex commed Team Boundless. “Hey, where are you guys?”

Jollies answered, “We’ve just come through the collider transport. We’re heading your way as fast as possible, and we’re bringing the big guns.”

“Thank God. I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to hold out.”

“Just keep fighting.”

A psychic blast rocketed toward Alex and she pulled Chine to the left, barely avoiding it.

Vardis seemed satisfied with pushing Alex and Chine back and turned his attention to Roy, who was still trying to put distance between him and Vardis. The alien flew at Roy, psychic blasts forming in both of his palms.

Roy braced for the impact and Vardis hit him hard, sending him into the wall of the volcano.

The alien grabbed Roy by the throat to keep him from falling into the lava. Vardis’ eyes were white and wild with crazed energy. He formed another psychic blast in one of his palms and slowly pushed it into Roy’s face.

Chine came in from the right and slashed Vardis across the side, which knocked him off the rider. As Roy fell, Chine scooped him up and flew away.

Alex disengaged her anchor enough to leap into Chine’s palm.

Roy was coughing up blood and his arm was broken, a piece of bone jutting from the exo-suit. Still, he was trying to get to his feet.

Alex rested her hand on Roy’s chest and held him down. “You need to sit this one out.”

Roy continued to try to stand, shaking his head adamantly. “I’m not leaving you to do this alone.”

Alex looked at Chine and pointed to the rim of the volcano. “I’m not alone. I’ve got my dragon.”

Chine placed Roy a little past the rim of the volcano, safely away from the lava leaking from cracks in the slope.

Vardis screamed with rage within the volcano.

Alex shouted in reply. “Don’t worry, we’re coming for you!”

Chine rose into the air and headed back into the volcano.

Vardis had descended into the heart of the volcano and was using his psychic powers to twist the lava to his desires. As Chine stormed toward him, the alien waved his hand and sent a glob of lava at Chine.

Brace yourself, Dustling.

Chine folded his wings over his head, blocking the lava from getting to Alex while allowing his body to absorb the blow. He hit Vardis hard, knocking the alien down, and held him beneath his feet. Fool! I was born of fire!

Vardis smiled menacingly. “Oh, were you?” He gave a rage-filled scream and shattered the island that Chine held him under, covering himself in a thin psychic shield as he fell into the lava, Chine toppled after him as Alex scrambled to get off the dragon’s back.

Vardis pulled the closest islands into the lava as well, leaving Alex nowhere to go as the alien continued trying to pull Chine into the lava.

Chine, in a last-ditch effort, reached out of the lava and grabbed Alex. He flung her toward another island.

Alex hit the island and rolled across its surface, then drew her scythe, and slammed it into the stone to keep herself from going off the edge.

Vardis was already back in the air. He was pulling rocks from the side of the mountain and throwing them at Chine to keep the dragon from getting out of the lava.

Alex knew that even if Chine could handle being exposed to lava, he wasn’t a red dragon. The lava was going to eat through all his augments and eventually his skin as well.

Not knowing what else to do, Alex concentrated on a mental spear. She hurled it at Vardis, infusing it with every hurtful thing she could remember from his past.

Vardis grabbed his head and swayed to the side. It was enough to let Chine pull himself out of the lava and fly to Alex.

The dragon landed behind his rider and collapsed in a heap of flames. Alex ran to him, only briefly deterred by the flames. She took a deep breath and plunged through them to throw her arms around Chine’s neck. Hey, buddy, are you okay?

Chine groaned as he tried to lift his head. Just need a moment.

Alex looked at Chine’s claws and could see he was bleeding draconic fluid heavily. She plunged her anchor into the claw augment to draw out as much of his pain as possible.

The feeling was almost unbearable. The psychic link between Chine and Alex was strong enough that she felt all of his pain, coupled with the pain of absorbing the superheated fluid into the anchor.

But it wasn’t only going to the anchor. Alex felt the draconic fluid entering her blood.

A boulder smashed into the island Alex and Chine were on, nearly hitting the dragon in the head.

Vardis was floating above them with four boulders revolving around him, preparing to launch another attack.

Alex drew her scythe and slashed one of the boulders as it flew at Chine. “Leave him alone! He’s done! Can’t you see that?”

Vardis cackled madly as he prepared to throw another boulder. “Is he?”

Behind Alex, Chine whimpered softly.

That sound was too much for Alex, and something in her snapped.

Her blood started to boil.

Everything went red, and Alex reached out with everything she had to pull Vardis to her.

Black flames erupted across Alex’s body as her blood metabolized the draconic fluid in her blood, boosting her energy exponentially.

Vardis was pulled to Alex, incapable of stopping her.

The alien hit the island face-first.

Alex, eyes burning pure black, grabbed him by the back of the neck and raised him into the air, then kicked him in the stomach with a combination of brute strength and telekinetic energy.

Vardis spit up blood as his eyes went wide with pain.

Alex slammed her bionic fist into the top of Vardis’ skull, smashing him into the ground. Then she climbed on top of him, blind with rage, and started punching him in the head. The air was filled with the sound of bones cracking.

Her fist blazed with black energy as it crashed down on Vardis’ head again and again.

Alex didn’t know how long she’d been striking him. She didn’t stop until she heard Chine’s voice in her head. They’re here. Reinforcements are here.

The flames disappeared and Alex ran to Chine, then leaped onto his back and attached her anchor. “Can you fly?”

Yes, Dustling.

Alex pulled up on her anchor, and Chine took off. A circle of riders ringed the rim of the volcano. All of Boundless was there, along with more than twenty mech riders, their weapons trained on Vardis.

Alex reached for the shard and pulled it to her, clutching it tightly under her arm as she and Chine got out of range. “Hit him with everything you got!” she shouted.

Boundless and the rest of the riders didn’t have to be told twice. They unloaded energy projectiles, breath attacks, and missiles at the alien.

Vardis weakly threw up a shield, but it did nothing.

A small explosion erupted in the volcano as each attack landed on Vardis.

Once the smoke settled, Alex could see Vardis’ body. She, along with everyone else, watched to see if the alien was going to stand.

He didn’t move.

Alex commed her team and the rest of the riders. “I’m going to check and see if he’s done.” She guided Chine down to Vardis’ body, jumped off, and walked over to the alien.

Smoke was still coming off the body. She knelt beside him and put her finger to his neck to feel for a pulse.

Vardis’ hand shot up and grabbed her arm. He weakly tilted his head and glared at her. The hate and anger in his eyes would probably have killed Alex if the alien had any more strength left. “You had your chance,” he spat.

Alex wrenched her arm away from him. “No, you had yours. We could have worked together. Your blind desire for vengeance did this.”

Vardis started laughing, hacking up blood. “Oh, Alex, it was so much more than vengeance. Do you know what it is like to not know your own mind? To have it broken so you do not even know who you are anymore?”

Alex stood up, looking disdainfully at the alien. “I got pretty close to finding out because of you. You’ve become everything you hated.”

Vardis was still laughing softly. “What are you going to do with the shard?”

“Put it someplace safe. I know how dangerous it is. We’re never going to let anyone like you get their hands on it again.”

Vardis continued coughing blood and rolled over on his side, glaring at Alex from one of his eyes. “You might think so, but I have a parting gift for you—one you will no doubt enjoy.”

Vardis closed his eyes, his body thrumming with energy. A shockwave emerged from him and spread through the volcano, but it did not stop there. It reverberated across Middang3ard and into all nine of the realms.

“Let them see you for what you really are.”

The vision hit her with the force of a megaton bomb. It nearly obliterated her memories.

Then she felt something between her and the vision. Alex wasn’t certain what had put itself between her and Vardis’ illusion, but whatever it was, it was strong.

The vision was not meant for her. It was meant for the rest of Middang3ard.

She could see herself in the medbay. Roy was there. There was a knock on the door, and Roy answered it. Vardis asked to come in, and Roy allowed it.

As soon as Vardis stepped into the room, Alex’s eyes went wild with hate. Ether flames burst across her body. She flew into a rage and attacked Vardis.

The two began their battle through the military base, Vardis fleeing from Alex and her giving chase. She killed two nurses in her rage. Nothing was going to stop her. Finally, Vardis managed to knock her out to give himself enough time to escape.

Roy came to Alex’s side, asking why she had attacked Vardis. Alex gave no answer but turned on Roy instead, knocking him out. Then she chased Vardis, finding him at the collider.

Vardis went through the collider, and Alex went after him. She followed him to the volcano, where he was trying to place the weapon. He explained that Alex was wrong about it destroying the whole universe, that it was a mind trick the Dark One had played on her.

Alex watched herself telling Vardis that there was no trick, that the Dark One had promised her power and she’d accepted it. She told him she was betraying Middang3ard.

Roy came over the rim of the volcano. He begged Alex not to go over to the Dark One’s side. Alex shouted that it was the only way she could save her life. The Dark One was going to win. She wasn’t going to become a slave.

Alex attacked Roy with Chine, nearly killing him. Then she turned her wrath on Vardis.

The mech and dragonriders arrived as Alex was beating Vardis, who was begging for his life. He promised that if Alex would just let him use the weapon, the Dark One would be destroyed, and she wouldn’t have anything to fear.

Alex climbed on top of the alien and strangled him to death.

The vision ended, and Alex stumbled away from Vardis as the alien cackled and coughed. He spat blood and looked at her. “You had your chance, Alex.” Then he closed his eyes, never to open them again.

Alex was trying to get a grip on what had just happened. She looked up at Team Boundless and the rest of the mech riders, watching to see what was going to happen.

Across from her, Roy had gotten to his feet and was approaching Alex. There was something off in his face. “You killed him,” Roy murmured. “We were so close to destroying the Dark One, and you killed him.”

Alex backed away, waving her hands. “No, Roy, it isn’t what you think.”

“You sold us out to the Dark One.”

Roy’s face was dark as he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Alex, but I can’t let you leave.”

Chine dropped from the sky and grabbed Alex in his claws. He took off into the air as Alex crawled up his arm and anchored herself to his back.

Chine swerved around some mech riders, heading for the open sky. Vardis warped their memories. You saw the vision?

Yeah, I saw it.

That’s what they all believe to be true.

Alex’s heart sank as she imagined Boundless believing she had betrayed them. Everyone?

Not everyone. I was able to shield Boundless, so they were only partially affected.

Alex thought it had been Chine who had protected her. Wait, you didn’t help me?

No. That was not me.

Alex commed Boundless. “Team, on me! We need to get out of here.”

No one answered at first, but then a steady stream of replies came in. Alex looked over her shoulder and saw Boundless peeling off from the rest of the riders surrounding the volcano. “Alex?” Jim asked. “What’s going on?”

“I’ll explain later. We need to get out of here now.”

Boundless followed Alex as Roy walked over to Vardis’ body. He knelt beside him and cradled Vardis’ head. “You didn’t deserve this, not after everything you did to help us.” He closed the alien’s eyes and commed the mech riders above. “Pursue Team Boundless.”

The mech riders took off.

Roy stood in the volcano peered at Vardis, and his left eye started to twitch. It was the unease of a man who knew something was not right but did not understand what was amiss. He stared for some time at the alien’s body.

Chapter Ten

Team Boundless didn’t speak as they flew. Alex wasn’t going to be the one to break the silence. Even she wasn’t certain about what she’d just seen. She knew it wasn’t true, much like the memories Vardis’ had placed in her about her parents, yet they were there and as easy to recall as anything she’d experienced.

I couldn’t have seen them since I was blind, she repeated to herself. She analyzed the vision from Vardis the same way, looking for the inconsistencies that only she could see and reminding herself of what she knew to be true while allowing Chine to fly unguided.

“We got bogies on our six!” Jim shouted.

Alex checked the area. The mech riders were closing in on Boundless. She had to get her head in the game. There was no way to know what the mech riders were planning to do to her and Boundless, but she wanted to be prepared for whatever came.

One of the mech riders opened a comm to Alex. “Team Boundless. We are ordering you to descend. You will be taken into custody. I repeat, descend.”

Alex weighed her options. She knew the extent of Vardis’ power, even during his dying breaths. Whatever was lodged in their minds was not going to be easily destroyed. “Negative,” she replied.

As Alex was preparing to give orders to her team, the world went black around her, the back of her head erupting in pain.

It was the Dark One.

“Vardis’ attack would have destroyed you if not for me,” he said.

Alex burst out laughing. The Dark One had saved her? Why? “You’re kidding. Why would you have saved me?” Alex asked.

“Consider it recompense. You saved my life. It was fitting that I saved yours.”

Alex didn’t know what to make of the statement. The Dark One being capable of something like honor went against everything she thought she knew about him.

Rather than engage with him, Alex concentrated on severing their connection. The darkness faded, and she was back with Team Boundless.

Gill and Brath were shouting, trying to find out what they were supposed to do.

Alex wracked her brain, attempting to come up with a plan to get them out of the mess they were in. “We’re not going to fight them. Even if they don’t know it, we’re on the same team. Keep heading east. We’ll lose them in the pixie forest. Their mechs can’t keep up with us in the trees.”

Jim’s voice came through the comm. “How do you know that?”

Because this is the forest where we took out those giants on our date!

Alex didn’t answer. Even if Boundless hadn’t been affected by the illusion like the rest of the riders, it was obvious that there had been some disruption in their memories. “Do you guys trust me?”

The comm was silent.

Finally, Brath said, “Yeah. With my life.”

Then Gill. “I’m with you.”

Jollies, who had been shouting indiscernible words the whole time, finally managed, “Always, Alex.”

There was silence again. Alex waited to hear what Jim said. “We’re heading for the pixie forest, right? The one where we took out those giants?”

Alex breathed a sigh of relief. “Yeah, that one.”

Jim slowed his mech down and fell behind the rest of Boundless. “Good. I got this one. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

As the team sped past him, he let off ten proximity mines. Then he plunged into the forest beneath him.

The mech riders raced past where Jim had been, intent on dealing with Alex.

The mines went off as they flew over them, blinding the riders and disrupting their mechs.

Jim kicked in his thrusters to catch up with the rest of Boundless. They were flying through the forest, weaving between the trees while trying to stay as close to the ground as possible.

Alex pulled up her tactical map and surveyed the area. There was a cave up ahead, and earlier intel suggested it might be in use by the pixies of the area. “Jollies, I want you to go ahead and talk to the pixies. See if we can hole up in their cave. Got it?”

Jollies delivered an exceptionally chirpy “affirmative” and peeled off from the rest of the group.

Alex took Chine down to the ground and ordered the rest of Boundless to land.

The only dragon rider having a problem was Brath. Furi was too large to move comfortably through the forest. “Brath, don’t wait for us. You can’t do this stealth stuff with Furi. Head to the coordinates I’m sending you and make sure it’s safe.”

Brath didn’t bother responding, just took off toward the lake.

Alex turned to Gill and Jim, who had rejoined them. “We need to take this slow.”

The three of them took their time moving through the forest, occasionally stopping to listen as the mech riders flew over them.

The forest was too dense for the mech riders to see through, and the trees covered any heat signatures Boundless might give off.

Gill watched the sky as Alex and Jim moved forward, occasionally calling out the position of the mech riders, who kept stopping and scanning for Boundless.

Jollies came rushing back, staying low. “The pixies say we can stay. We just have to get there fast.”

The pixie cave wasn’t far from the lake. Alex commed Brath, told him about the change of plans, and sent him the coordinates of the cave.

Under the setting sun, Boundless made their way to the cave, taking their time, ever aware of the riders above them. They made it to the cave without incident.

The pixies stood outside, watching Boundless anxiously. One of the pixies came forward and asked, “You two. You were here before, weren’t you?”

Jim opened his mech and stuck his head out. “Yeah, we were. Weren’t we?”

Alex leaped off Chine and approached the pixies. The tiny beings looked as if they were ready to flee, but they held their ground. “A little while ago,” she said, “all of you escorted us on a date. Do you remember?”

The pixies flicked through different hues, eventually landing on a faded pink. “Yes, a date. It was truly awkward for you two. How could we forget? Come, come.”

They led Boundless to their cave, which was much larger than a pixie cave had any reason to be. Boundless was easily able to fit inside, and their dragons rested on the outside, concealing themselves as best they could.

Alex and the rest of Boundless sat just inside, watching the mech riders flying overhead and waiting for the heat to die down.

Jim came over to Alex and took a seat beside her. “What’s going on?”

Alex, who didn’t take her eyes off the mech riders above, said, “We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Is that cool?”

Jim nodded solemnly, and he and the rest of the team went farther into the pixie cave.

Alex continued to watch the mech riders long into the night. She didn’t get to sleep until dawn approached.

* * *

Alex woke up the next morning under Chine’s wings. She was nestled close to the dragon, his heartbeat making it difficult to join the land of the awake. Ugh, Chine, I had the worst dream ever. Vardis tricked everyone into thinking I was a crappy person, and then we had to go on the run. It was the worst.

Chine stood up and spread his wings, flapping them gently and sending dust everywhere. Dustling, I am sorry to tell you that was not a dream.

Alex stretched and got to her feet. How long have I been out?

Two days. The rest of Boundless went to the lake. They’re waiting to hear from you.

Alex walked out from under Chine’s wing and looked the dragon in the eye. I wish it had been a dream. Hey, you didn’t keep me from Vardis’ illusion, did you?

Chine shook his head sadly. No, I did not.

It was the Dark One. He saved my life. I thought that was just a bad dream.

Chine scooped Alex into his claws as the pixies poured out of the cave. Yes, he did. I don’t know why he would do such a thing. He’s safe from the shard now. Perhaps you two share a greater connection than you know.

I don’t want to think about that right now. I just want to see everyone. We can deal with it later.

Chine headed for the lake, not bothering to fly, informing Alex that they were keeping a lookout for the mech riders. They hadn’t seen them for the last two days, but Gill and Jim weren’t comfortable with the dragons being airborne yet.

It didn’t take long to get to the lake, and they found the members of Team Boundless on the shore. The only person who had gone into the water was Brath. He was splashing around like a kid.

When Boundless saw Alex, they froze. Jollies was the first to move. She flew over and landed on her shoulder. The pixie hugged Alex tightly. “What’s going on?”

Alex scratched the back of Jollies’ neck, making the pixie giggle and shift to a bright red hue. “I don’t know what you remember, but I know what I recall. Vardis was going to destroy our universe to kill the Dark One. I put a stop to it, but he’s made it so no one else remembers that. I don’t know what you think happened or how to make you believe me.”

Jim just looked at Alex. “I remember that we came here on a date, and we talked about how much you wanted to stop the Dark One.”

Gill was sitting on Timber. He lazily slid off and said, “We went to visit your family. They were amazing people. We had dinner, all of us and Vardis. Even then, none of us trusted him.”

Jollies, who was still on Alex’s shoulder, replied, “There was an explosion at the base. You were hurt, and then the comm went dead. We all thought it was Vardis.”

Brath swam to the shore as Furi burst out of the water. He joined the rest of Boundless. “I remember you asking us if we trusted you. The answer is still yes.”

Alex shook her head as she laughed. “What if I told you the Dark One saved my life? That he is the only reason I am still alive?”

The members of Boundless looked exchanged dubious glances. Finally, Brath stepped forward and extended his hand to Alex. “I would say I still trust you.”

Alex wiped a tear away as she took Brath’s hand and shook it.

“Why the hell are you smiling?” he asked.

Alex pulled him close and hugged him tightly. Slowly, the rest of Boundless came over and wrapped their arms around each other. “Because we saved the universe,” she said. “Even if no one else knows it, we did it. All of us. We did this. Even if they think we’re all traitors, we saved the entire universe, and we’re not going to stop. Are you with me?”

No words had to be said. They held each other as their dragons surrounded them, covering Boundless with their wings.

Alex looked at the sky. It was clear, not a cloud in sight, just infinite blue.

Infinite possibilities.

THE END

Want to know what happens to Team Boundless? Love Middang3ard? Check out the other series set in Middang3ard: Dark Gate Angels. Team Boundless return in Dark Gate Angels to deliver a shocking twist. (Please note: the timeline of Dark Gate Angels is such that Alex’s ‘betrayal’ happens in Dark Gate Angels, Book 2. Their epic return will be in Book 3.)

Join the battle against the Dark One today!

Dark Gate Angels

Have you started the Dark Gate Angels series from Ramyand Michael? Book one is Dark Gate Angles and it’s available now through Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.

A battle-elf, gladiator and super genius walk into a bar… Actually, there’s no punch line. 

But you can guarantee someone’s getting decapitated.

Anabella is a supermodel with a secret. She’s really an elf. And she’s bored, bored, bored. Born and bred as a warrior, Anabella wants nothing more than to trade her tiara for a dagger and a gun.

Careful what you wish for…

When orcs invade Earth, will Anabella have her chance?

Abby is a robotics engineer and certifiable genius (as well as simply certifiable). When Abby’s father is killed by the orcs, she plans on using her intellect to avenge him.

Terra is the toughest person in Kansas. Too bad she’s not in Kansas anymore. She was kidnapped by orcs to fight in their sick and twisted battle games.

Both Abby and Terra want revenge in the form of gloopy, green orc blood. Will the blood be green, or red?

Alone, none of them stand a chance. But together they just might be enough to bring evil to its knees.

These three warriors didn’t start the war…but you can be damn sure they’re going to try to finish it. Will they succeed?

Over 150,000 words of octane-fueled magic and mayhem fill this tome.

Grab your copy today from Amazon or Kindle Unlimited.

Author Notes Ramy Vance

June 12, 2020

Click, Clack …

The day that I sat down to write these Author Notes is a special day for me. For this day is the day I have officially earned a full-time income off of my books for one full year.

A while back, I went to 20Book London and, pumped after the event, I decided I would wake up every morning at 5 am to write. When I told my wife that was my plan, she thought I was crazy.

And then on that first morning I woke up at 4:40 am and started banging away at my computer, my wife yelled two things from our bedroom:

One – I can’t believe you’re up.

And two – get the hell out of your office and go somewhere where I can’t hear your damn keyboard click, clacking…

So, I moved out of my office to the much farther away kitchen table, where, for the next few months, I click, clacked every morning from 5 am until my son woke up at 7:27 am (and I’m not kidding … he wakes up at 7:27 on the dot almost every morning).

At that time, I wrote 6 days a week, no matter what.

And then I edited, worked on my marketing game, published, failed and tried again, until finally, little by little, I things started to improve.

I made plans. I stuck to them even when things looked wrong. I found mentors (Michael and Martha first among them) and listened to their advice even when I thought they were crazy (and believe you me … Martha is certifiable).

But most importantly, I click, clacked every chance I got.

And it paid off. 1 year ago, I got that deposit from Amazon with a sum of money that equaled the magic number I needed to be full-time.

Yesterday I showed my wife how much writing has earned us over the last year. She was unimpressed. I’m not going to lie, that hurt and I called her on it.

Her response couldn’t have been more perfect. “I’m not surprised. I always knew you’d get here. I always knew all that click, clacking will lead here.”

(Sweet words, but despite them, I still write in the kitchen.)

Author Notes Michael Anderle

June 14, 2020

So, I was click-clacking all over the lower part of the Las Vegas Strip in town early this year until I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere.

Then, instead of writing “out there,” I had to write and work in the office—an office that got kinda small, really. I’m happy we are opening up because I was going to go certifiable (it felt like.)

For me (this is back in Nov of 2015), my wife had no idea what I was doing with this writing stuff until one night, I was typing on my laptop as we were both in bed, and she finally looked over at me and asked. “I see you typing all the time. What are you doing?”

“Writing a book,” I replied.

“Do what?” (It’s not like I shared with her a compelling desire to write books my whole life, so this was news to her.)

“Writing a book. See, it’s my third. I have two others already out for sale.” I turned my laptop and showed her my little Amazon author page with those first two books.

I can’t say she was too impressed (and since those were the first covers I had for the Kurtherian Gambit series, I can’t really blame her). However, she nodded in the right direction and let me go about my business.

That is all I needed from her at the time, and to this day, I appreciate that she asked, then let me go do it without asking too many questions I didn’t have the answers for had she wanted them.

This happened when I was writing between books two and three. About six weeks later (after books 04 and 05 released, so call it mid-January), she asked me about income and sales and what I told her about my 2016 plans…

Didn’t impress her much (again!)

I had BIG plans for 2016. When I shared my sales goals? (Just an aside, she was responsible for over a hundred million dollars’ worth of product lines for Alcon at the time) Well, my goals…

Didn’t cut the nine-figure mark (or even come close!)

So, I did what any self-respecting Texan would do. I shut up and stopped sharing what I was making with her.

Solved that problem nicely, don’t you think?

Perhaps it didn’t but I was having fun building a small publishing company and writing (clickity-clacking) my fingers to the bones to keep the stories coming, and I had replaced my normal income by this time. I didn’t get rid of the other income, I had just doubled and then tripled it.

It’s interesting how men are built. Like Ramy, I seek my wife’s “attaguy,” and she is the one who can lift my heart with the right words or a smile.

So, if your spouse is clickity-clacking away, just remember that at some point in their journey, they want to hear you say “attaboy” or “attagirl” and know that no matter how successful we authors become.

It’s always the best when we know our loved ones have our backs as we weave worlds with… perhaps…flying dragons in them.

Ad Aeternitatem,

Michael Anderle

Other Books by the Authors

Other Middang3ard Books

Never Split The Party (01)

Late To the Party (02)

It’s My Party (03)

Blue Hell And Alien Fire (04)

Death Of An Author: A Middang3ard Novella

Dark Gate Angels

Dark Gate Angels (01)

Shades of Death (02)

Other Books by Ramy Vance

Mortality Bites Series

Keep Evolving Series

Fatebound Series

Welcome to the Dragon Show Series

Other Books by Michael Anderle

For a complete list of books by Michael Anderle, please visit:

www.lmbpn.com/ma-books/

All LMBPN Audiobooks are Available at Audible.com and iTunes. To see all LMBPN audiobooks, including those written by Michael Anderle please visit:

www.lmbpn.com/audible

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