The Dragon's Descent Read online

  Vero looked to sea. The sky was sunny only a few hundred feet away.

  “I’d rather take my chances on the water instead of the air or land right now,” Ada shouted.

  “But those beasts have wings!” Kane said. “We could be sitting ducks in that rowboat!”

  “I doubt they can fly any better in this wind than we can!” Greer responded.

  “Let’s do it!” X yelled.

  Vero looked behind him. He saw the tops of the reeds fall to the ground as if being trampled. Knowing what was coming, Vero ran to the boat and helped Pax pull the boat. Kane and X also grabbed the towrope and scrambled to drag the boat into the water. Violent waves crashed the vessel on all sides.

  “Everybody hurry!” Kane yelled as he tried to steady the bow of the boat.

  One by one, the angels climbed into the small rowboat while X stood knee-deep in the water, holding the stern firm. Vero could feel the ground underneath his feet shake. With one foot in the boat, he turned and saw all four beasts charging—even the bear had rejoined the ferocious stampede. Vero spun back quickly and tumbled into the boat. Standing on the bench closest to the bow, Ada pointed at the four-headed leopard, which rose up on its hind legs. All four heads snarled down on Greer, who was oblivious to the deadly threat.

  “Greer, behind you!” screamed Ada.

  Greer turned in time to see the heads looming over her. She hoisted her upper body into the boat when the head on the far left side of the leopard bared its teeth, ready to sink them into her chest. Sweat mixed with the rushing seawater ran down her face as she looked into the beast’s hungry eyes. A high-pitched scream, like the cry of a warrior, split the roar of the wind. In a single, fluid path, a sword sailed like a boomerang, slicing off the leopard’s outermost head, and then lopping off the remaining three in a clean sweep. The wind lifted the severed heads briefly into the air before they all dropped to the ground. Their wide eyes were forever caught in shock.

  The fledglings’ eyes too were wide as they looked at Ada standing on the bow.

  “Told you I would protect you,” Ada said to Greer.

  10

  RAHAB

  The rough seas pushed the tiny rowboat around. Water splashed over the boat’s sides as X tried to row through the storm. The other fledglings clung to each other and their seats for fear of being tossed into the high seas. Greer’s face had even turned a shade of green.

  “Want me to take over?” Kane yelled to X. “You’re injured.”

  “I got it!” X shouted. “It was just my wing. Rest of me is fine!”

  Anguish etched across his face, X continued rowing against the wall of waves and finally broke through. Rays of sunshine and calmer skies greeted them on the other side, though the water was still choppy, and the air too windy to fly. But everyone slowly released one another and their grip on the boat.

  “I still can’t believe you were able to slice their heads off like that,” Greer said to Ada, shaking her head in disbelief.

  “And yet I did.” Ada flashed a cocky grin.

  “She’s been holding out on us,” Pax said with a chuckle.

  “How did that happen?” Vero asked.

  “I just wanted a sword so badly when I saw Greer in trouble that it happened, I guess.”

  “I get that part,” Vero said. “How did you throw it like that?”

  “I play a lot of Frisbee with my dog.”

  Vero gave her a look. “That’s it?”

  “It’s all in the wrists.” Ada smiled, proudly.

  Greer shook her head. “The universe has turned upside down . . . and you . . .” Greer nodded to Pax. “You should feel bad. A girl showed better swordplay than you.”

  Pax became visibly upset. Greer had hit a sore spot.

  “I’m only joking,” Greer apologized.

  “Well, I don’t think it’s funny!”

  “Look, you’ve got something that goes a lot farther than sword skills . . .”

  Pax looked to her, curious.

  “Guts and heart. With that combo, you’ll do better than all of us.”

  Pax smiled. “Thanks, Greer.”

  “Friends?”

  “Always,” Pax said. “But I’m bummed that thing ate my sword. How am I gonna get it back?”

  Ada frowned dejectedly. “I didn’t think of that.”

  “Well, we can’t go back for them,” Greer said to Ada. “Sorry, you might just be a one-hit wonder. Well, actually a four-hit wonder.”

  “I don’t think so,” Vero said. “I think swords are like lizards’ tails. You might be able to grow another.”

  “I hope,” Ada said, looking into the palm of her outstretched hand.

  Kane stood. “X, I can row for a while,” he said as he climbed over the seat, inadvertently rocking the boat.

  “Stop doing that!” Greer chided.

  “Sorry,” Kane said. “It’s hard to balance.”

  “Yeah, well, I get seasick,” Greer said. “So knock it off!”

  Vero stood up in the boat. “What, Greer?” Vero teased. “This makes you sick?” Vero shifted his weight from leg to leg, rocking the boat from side to side.

  “Sit down!” Greer roared.

  Vero laughed and then sat next to her.

  “If I throw up, I’ll be sure to aim for you,” Greer told Vero as her right hand white knuckled the side of the boat.

  Vero inched away from her.

  X looked to Kane. “I’m all right for now.”

  Kane nodded and sat back down.

  “Turned out to be a nice day after all,” Ada said, her face turned toward the warm light above.

  “We’re not here so you can get a tan,” Greer quipped.

  “Yeah, I get that, but why not enjoy it while we have the chance,” Ada said.

  Vero looked upon his fellow angels with affection. Greer noticed his stare.

  “What’s your problem?”

  “I just want to say thank you . . . for helping me,” Vero said. “You guys are all great.”

  Pax and Ada smiled to him.

  “Hey, it’s what angels do,” X said, purposely skidding the oar against the water, drenching Vero.

  “Thanks a lot,” Vero said with a smile, wiping water from his face.

  “We’ll find that book,” Kane told Vero. “We won’t let you fail.”

  “But if on the off chance we don’t,” Greer said to Vero, “you’re taking the blame one hundred percent.”

  Vero chuckled. “Okay. But I really am grateful.”

  “He’s getting too sappy,” Greer said. “Feed him to the sharks.”

  X continued to row, and soon they were nearly upon the rock formation. Waves lapped up on the submerged boulders. Vero noted that, up close, the teepee-shaped outcropping was much larger than what he had expected.

  “Anybody else feeling nervous?” Pax asked as his eyes focused on the opening in the rocks.

  “Rahab’s an angel. He once found the book and returned it. He’s gotta be good,” Vero said.

  “Oh yeah, sure,” Greer said. “We’ll just go tell that to Lucifer, and maybe he’ll stop looking for the book.” She turned to Kane. “You believe this kid?” she scoffed.

  “Yeah, Vero,” Kane said, shifting uncomfortably. “Duh.”

  Vero held Kane’s gaze for a moment. Kane appeared to be nervous. It wasn’t like him to be on edge.

  Crash!

  The front of the boat smashed into the boulders.

  “X! Stop rowing!” Ada shouted.

  “Sorry, guess I don’t know my own strength,” X commented, slightly embarrassed.

  After grabbing the towrope, Vero climbed out the boat and onto
the large rocks, which were covered in slimy algae. He slipped and did an embarrassingly bizarre dance to keep from falling into the water. A few seconds later, he regained his balance.

  “Nice moves,” Greer teased.

  Vero blushed. Then carefully, keeping the rope securely in his hand, he pulled the rowboat closer to the rocks.

  “Come on,” Vero said, holding out his hand.

  Kane stepped out and helped him secure the boat. Then one by one, the others climbed onto the mossy rocks. As Greer grabbed on to Vero’s arm and stood, her boot became lodged between two rocks, causing her to stumble and face-plant straight into Vero’s chest. They both fell off the boulders and into the sea. Greer spit a mouthful of saltwater into Vero’s face.

  “Thanks for the help.”

  “You pushed me in!” Vero shot back.

  “Guys, are we going to find Rahab or not?” X asked, holding out his hand to Greer.

  X pulled Greer up onto the rocks, while Vero climbed up himself. With small, deliberate steps, the fledglings made their way over the slick rocks. In front of the opening, the boulders flattened out into a level ledge of solid rock. They gathered around the large gap and looked inside. Vero felt his hopes plummet. It was just a small, dark cavern. The ocean waves hit the ledge where they stood and lapped into the cavern, forming a pool before the water seeped out through gaps in the rocks. Vero scanned the area. Neither Rahab nor anyone else was anywhere to be found. The cavern was uninhabited.

  “Okay, that was a phenomenal waste of time,” Kane said, irritated.

  “He has to be here somewhere,” Ada said. “Maybe he lives underwater.”

  “Then we’ll never find him,” Pax said.

  “Ada, the scroll must have given some other info,” Vero said. “Something you’re not remembering.”

  Ada shook her head. “I told you everything.”

  The sky began to darken. The wind began to blow in the distance. Greer looked up to the clouds.

  “Another storm,” she said, her eyes full of dread.

  Vero turned to Ada. “You said he’s also called Euroclydon. What does that mean?”

  Ada shrugged. “I don’t know everything!”

  The winds began to whip up harder. Claps of thunder rang out. The air turned cold, and the sky grew nearly dark. The faint shape of a funnel formed in the distance, and appeared to be the front edge of a big hurricane. Greer pointed to it.

  “We either need to fly out of here or take shelter in this cavern!” Greer called. “Because that looks like we’re in for a hurricane!”

  “Or we fly right into it,” Kane said.

  “Are you crazy?” Greer shouted. “Did that bear hit you in the head and we missed it?”

  “Euroclydon means tempestuous wind.”

  “How would you know that?” Pax asked.

  “Vocab word,” Kane said while pointing to the oncoming storm. “That is Rahab.”

  Vero looked to Kane as he processed the information.

  “He’s a storm?” Greer asked, staring at Kane as if he was the dumbest thing she had ever seen.

  “No, but he’s causing the storm. He must be in the middle of it,” Kane answered. “That’s why we have to fly into it.”

  “Because it’s always calm in the eye of the hurricane,” Vero finished.

  “Yes.” Kane nodded.

  “But we can’t fly in those winds,” Ada said. “They’re too strong.”

  “Airplanes can,” Kane said, looking up. “If we get high enough, we can fly above it, then drop down into the eye. Where I come from, we have to deal with monsoons all the time.”

  “That’s just nuts,” X said, as the winds picked up speed. “But if we’re going to do it, we have to go now or we won’t be able to get airborne.”

  “Go for it!” Kane yelled in a rallying cry.

  The angels’ wings shot out in unison.

  “We’ll fly in a V formation,” Vero said. “Everyone hold hands and don’t lose anyone!”

  X tried to lift off. His injured wing dangled from his back.

  “I can’t fly!” X yelled, frustrated. “Go without me. I’ll wait out the storm in this cavern.”

  “Pax, stay with him!” Vero shouted over the winds.

  “No, I’ll be okay!” X yelled as sprays of water hit his face.

  “If there’s any trouble, Pax can communicate with me mentally!” Vero said.

  X didn’t argue further. The storm was nearly upon them, leaving no time for debate. Vero, Ada, Kane, and Greer shot like missiles straight into the dark, heavy clouds. They rose higher and higher, but were still not able to get above the storm due to the pelting wind and freezing rain.

  “Keep going!” Vero shouted as they tossed around inside the tempest.

  They flew even higher. Finally, patches of light broke up the dark, stormy clouds. The rains and winds gradually subsided. Upward they flew, and moments later each broke out above the billowing thunderclouds. They were now safely above the storm, where it was surprisingly sunny, dry, and calm.

  “Hey, this is nice,” Greer said, raising her head toward the warm light shining on her.

  “Stop going up,” Kane said. “We need to fly straight ahead and find the eye.”

  The angels glided across the calm skies. Vero was amazed how peaceful their flight was in contrast to the turbulent storm directly below. After flying for a few miles, Vero saw a circular, well-defined eye up ahead. He estimated it to be about a mile in diameter. It looked exactly like the images he had seen of hurricanes taken from space stations—a donut hole surrounded by clouds swirling counterclockwise. It was dangerous, surreal, and beautiful all at the same time.

  “We have to be sure to drop down exactly in the eye,” Kane said, pointing to their target. “The eye is surrounded by the eye wall. That’s the most dangerous part of the hurricane. It’s a dense wall of thunderstorms. You don’t want to go there.”

  “Let’s go single file. Everybody grab someone’s ankles!” Vero said. “I’ll lead!”

  Greer grabbed on to Vero’s ankles. Ada held on to Greer’s, and Kane completed the chain. Vero narrowed his eyes, carefully zeroing in on the hole that was the eye.

  “Aim dead center!” Kane shouted.

  Vero gave him the thumbs-up sign, lowered his head, and nosedived toward the opening. With the others holding on to him, Vero landed smack in the center of the eye. It was mostly calm weather inside—a light wind and clear skies. But surrounding Vero and the others were the towering, symmetric eye walls. It reminded Vero of the tornado booth he and Clover had once stepped into at the science museum—a cylinder-shaped glass booth that simulated a mild version of a real tornado.

  “Can we let go?” Ada shouted.

  “Yes,” Vero said.

  Ada took her hands off Greer’s legs and Kane and Greer also let go. The group hovered in the center of the eye, careful not to fly close to the edges.

  “We’re here, so where is he?” Greer asked, looking around. “Rahab, come out, come out, wherever you are!”

  Vero scanned the swirling eye walls. Stormy weather was all around him. Looking up through the cylinder eye, he saw blue sky. Looking down, he saw blue water.

  A deep, gravelly voice cut through the howling winds. “You killed my pet.”

  The fledglings’ heads darted around. The huge, weathered face of a middle-aged man broke through the eye wall so smoothly, it was like he was made of the thunderclouds. His skin was leathery, as if he had spent his entire existence in the blazing sun. The man was completely bald, and a scar ran across his forehead. But his brown beard was so long and bushy, Vero thought a family of birds could build their nest in there, and this guy would never even notice.

  But what
was most shocking was the empty eye socket. And in the remaining eye, there was no twinkle—it was as cold as the water in the deepest depths of the ocean. Vero then realized that they had found Rahab.

  “By pet, you mean the leopard?” Vero asked.

  “Yes,” Rahab answered, exposing teeth coated with algae.

  “Ada did it!” Greer said, pushing Ada forward toward Rahab. Ada quickly retreated.

  “Sorry about that,” Ada said. “But it was trying to kill us.”

  “Who are you?” Rahab yelled as he moved farther out of the storm, exposing more of his body, as well as a long, greenish robe covered in barnacles, which covered his feet.

  Vero noticed Rahab had a barrel-like chest, and gigantic wings that were not white but blue. As Rahab hovered, it became clear those wings were whipping up the winds around them.

  “Why are you bothering me?” he shouted.

  “We want to talk to you.” Vero wrinkled his nose. Rahab reeked of fish. “We’re guardians in training.”

  “You can have all the training you want, but it won’t save you,” Rahab snarled.

  Vero and Ada exchanged puzzled glances.

  “Why should I talk to you?” Rahab said.

  “Because we just braved your hurricane and were almost eaten by your pets!” Greer snapped. “You owe us a little courtesy!”

  “I owe you nothing!” Rahab spat.

  “Please,” Vero said. “We need to know about the Book of Raziel.”

  Rahab’s face twisted with anger at the mention of the book. He began to thrash and kick. His feet came into view, and Vero saw that both ankles were shackled to a long, thick iron chain that stretched down into the water below. The angel tried to grab Vero, but the chains kept Vero just out of his grasp. Rahab swiped and clawed at Vero with vicious fervor, and then calmed, putting his head in his hands.

  “I’m sorry,” Rahab said through his fingers.

  Vero looked at him with empathy. “What happened to you?” he asked. “Why are you here?”

  “I rebelled.”

  Ada’s eyes went wide.

  “During the Great War, I decided to leave God, but at the last moment I changed my mind,” Rahab said. “This is my punishment.”