CHAPTER 34: 34: A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

Chap 34: A Good Night’s Sleep

The sound of the storm outside beat against the sides of the cabin, threatening to tear the walls down. Rain fell heavily through the night. Drake lay awake while his friends slept through the noise.

Even though he was exhausted, he couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t the sound of the storm outside, nor was it the pounding of the rain on the glass windows that kept him awake. He couldn’t sleep because he knew his friends wanted to go home, and there was nothing he could do to make that happen, other than completing the quest to find the Cave of Valor and receive the staff.

Chad almost died in Draco Town, and he himself almost died from an assassin on the road. His gut told him that there were powers at play that were trying hard not to allow him to complete his quest. It made him want to complete it even faster, more in fear for his friends than himself.

Everything in him told him that the quest he was on wasn’t supposed to be like it had been so far...and he wanted to know why.

Back at Draco Town, Mayor Ivan even indicated that there could be those trying to stop him. He just couldn’t figure out who it was. Gavin was one of the suspects, considering that out of the blue, he offered help. No one in their right mind would travel out of the safe haven of Draco Town to head to the Dragon Head Mountain that contained level 5 beasts. The road was dangerous, filled with beasts and bandits.

When they got closer to Dragon Head Mountain and the beasts got stronger, would they be strong enough to defeat them? It was a question he had been asking himself since they fought the last beast. Nothing seemed to kill it; Only his whip. Even Chad’s arrows didn’t do anything.

He could tell that the ambush on the road was meant specifically for him. Then there was the assassin. Although he turned up soon after the ambush, Drake knew that the two incidents were not related directly, but their goals were the same. They wanted him dead. That was all he knew.

’I need to sleep, Damit. If I’m too tired to travel, it’s going to get me killed.’ Drake complained in his mind.

Shutting his eyes, Drake calmed his breath, eventually falling asleep.

***

The Dimension Master watched the computer monitor in Drake’s room, watching the three boys sleep. Outside the cabin, the storm still assaulted the small dwelling as they slept.

His friends and cohort stood behind him. "I don’t like what’s been happening. There are too many getting involved. Chad almost died in the gargoyles’ attack, now Drake with that assassin!" One of the men complained.

The Dimension Master responded, just as angry as the others. "Drake’s system didn’t even offer to save him with a life token. I know he has two left. We are all fortunate that Chad received his sword so soon. It may have saved them all. If Drake dies, they all die."

The second man turned to his green-eyed friend. "Do you think someone is using magic to interfere with the system?" It was only a suggestion, but it was a valid one.

The Dimension master stared at the screen, thinking, trying to figure out who could mess with a dimension master system. Even he couldn’t do it. "I don’t think so. I can’t come up with anyone who could do something like that."

The first man who had spoken spoke again. "If others are interfering, doesn’t that mean we can too?"

"Whatever we can do without breaking the rules, we will do to keep the boys safe. Something isn’t right. We need to find out what it is and eradicate it. The boys’ lives are coming too close to death for my liking. They’re supposed to be getting stronger in a somewhat controlled environment. With what’s been happening, they won’t even make it to Dragon Head Mountain." The Dimension Master complained. He was worried that the boys would die trying to complete their ascension quest. The worst part is, they have no choice but to complete the quest, or they would never get home.

The blond man next to the Dimension Master spoke; his eyes were glued to the sleeping boys. "What about eliminating the threats before they make it to the boys? I know they need to fight the beasts, but all those trying to stop the boys, can’t we deal with them?"

The brown-haired man shook his head. "They’re doing more than trying to stop the boys from completing the quest; they’re trying to kill them."

The Dimension Master pulled his long black hair out of his face, tying it up. When he stood up, he looked at his two friends and cohort. "I know where the assassin came from. I’m going to deal with his boss. I expected it from the gargoyles, being as we lowered their numbers, but not the others, and how aggressively they are attacking the boys. At this point, I wish I could just hand him the staff. I can’t do that, though."

"And Gavin? Do you trust him?" The blond man asked. It had been strange that Gavin offered to go with them. It wasn’t like him to do something like that. It was completely out of character. "Is he trying to help the boys or sabotage them?"

"That’s also a good question," The Dimension Master nodded, agreeing. "He is part of Draco Town; there is nothing we can do to find out. The only ones we can deal with are the assassins that are being sent. If I know anything about their boss, if one fails, he will send another."

"If we need to, are we forbidden to reveal ourselves to them?" The brown-haired man asked. His eyes kept going to the screen, which was showing the three teens sleeping. He was worried that they would be attacked while they slept.

The Dimension Master sighed. "Only under specific circumstances. So far, we haven’t broken any rules. If we reveal ourselves under the wrong circumstances, the boys will be stuck there forever and be part of the dimension’s residents. Now...Let’s go deal with that asshole before he sends another assassin."

***

At the base of the massive Dragon Head mountain, a man stood looking down the dirt road toward Draco Town. His arms were folded, waiting for his man to come back with the heads of the three boys.

A green light flashed in front of him, and three figures stepped out. Each wearing leather armor, etched with elegant runes. The man in the middle had long black hair tied up in a bun. His eyes glowed a brilliant emerald green. His whip glowed faintly with a soft green light, and he had a sword on his back with glowing green runes. Tied to his belt was a miniature lantern that shone with a soft white glow.

The two men beside him, one had short blond hair, combed back with not a hair out of place. His eyes were a stunning blue. He carried a bow in his hand and a sword at his side.

The other man had short brown hair and soft brown eyes. His muscles bulged, his shoulders wide. In his hand was a sword, with electrical currents traveling up and down the elegant blade. He had spiked gauntlets on his hands, like leather fingerless gloves. All three men looked at the man in front of them with a calm air, yet there was anger in their eyes.

The man faced the three newcomers. "Well, well, well... I assume your heir died, so you’re here to exact vengeance? He asked with a laugh.

The Dimension master smiled. "No, he’s doing remarkably well even though your man put a dagger in his back."

The man paled. If the young heir was still alive, then the Dimension Master could kill him. He normally couldn’t interfere with his heir’s quest except when someone tries to kill the heir for the purpose of stopping the ascension. He was trying to kill the heir to stop the quest, steal the staff, and become the new dimension master. It appears he failed.

The Dimension master lightly tapped his foot on the ground, and a pulse of green energy exploded from where his foot touched. It shot out, slamming into the man. As the man was thrown back, the whip snapped, his vision went dark, and he knew no more. His death took less than a second.

The two men beside him folded their arms across their chests, irritated. They wanted to fight the bastard who sent the assassin, but didn’t even get to see a good fight. The dimension master turned his head, lifting a brow. "It was my heir that nearly died. If yours gets injured, and we have to deal with another one, you can take out that one."

Both men sighed in unison, seconds before a green flash consumed them, and they were back in Drake’s room to continue to monitor the boys’ progress.