and firewood. I am sure they will find easier prey than a group of well-trained guards to fill their bellies,” Aron replied. “We will have to move quickly, and I expect you all to keep up. A man alone will be easy to pick off, but together we can outsmart the stupid creatures. We should leave quickly so we can find water and shelter before nightfall.”
“Where exactly do you plan to go? We are in the middle of nowhere with no means of transportation or supplies. It will take us days to walk to the nearest hint of civilization!”
“First, we will make our way to the ruins. There is a man near there that may help us, assuming we can find him,” Aron replied, glaring at Thom’s insubordination.
Thom grumbled quietly as he went back to work on a spear, “That sounds promising.”
Aron looked up the shaft of the volcano at the small patch of blue sky visible from where he stood as the men completed the last of the crude weapons. “We will need a distraction to make it to the forest,” he stated, glancing around at the guards. His gaze rested on the irua he had assaulted for hurting him while tending to his wounded arm. “Landin, you are the fastest and most nimble man here. You will scale the shaft and pull the dragons’ attention to you from the top of the volcano. I suggest you make a lot of noise, and then run for your life and try to make it to the trees before they get to you.”
The small, pale-skinned guard’s face fell, but he merely nodded his head and started up the steps to the ledge that would provide him with the most likely route up the volcano shaft. His steps were heavy and methodical, as though he were accepting that he climbed to his death. Aron watched him find his first hand holds in the volcanic rock and then looked away calmly, ordering the other guards toward the entrance to prepare for a sprint to the tree line. The men stood anxiously inside the entrance, each feeling thankful that Aron had not ordered them to be the decoy, but also mourning the inevitable loss of their comrade. The chance that Landin would make it to safety was slim. It was much more likely that he would not even be able to buy them enough time to make it to the cover of the trees before he was snatched up by a dragon. Soon they heard Landin’s voice echo down the shaft and ring through the volcano.
“Aron, I loathe you! You worthless piece of dragon dung! How dare you send me up here to be eaten by these fire breathing behemoths! If I make it through this, I swear I will hunt you down and… Aaaghhh!” His voice faded as he took off running down the side of the volcano.
Aron grinned widely, “Good man, Landin. All right, gentlemen, let’s not allow his tirade to be in vain. Move!” Aron ran outside, gripping his spear and scanning the sky, while the other guards followed nervously. They ran swiftly while watching for a dragon attack, and they heard a short, distant cry from a dragon followed by a clipped scream just as they reached the trees. Thom glanced back and saw Stargon soar upward from behind the volcano with Landin’s limp body grasped in his claws. He cringed at the sight but rushed deeper into the trees before he could be spotted by another dragon.
The men walked as quickly and silently as they could, frequently glancing up at the sky through the small gaps in the trees as they traveled. Aron signaled a halt near a rock outcropping deep in the forest. The trees were thick and the canopy overhead was dense enough that no blue sky could be seen. He looked around at the fearful faces of the other six men with him. The gash on his arm throbbed terribly but he allowed no hint of pain into his expression. If any of them were going to get off the mountain, he would have to maintain his firm authority over the guards. “Thom, take three men with you and find some food and water. We will camp here and strike out as soon as the sun rises.” Aron planted the butt of his spear into the dirt at his feet and ordered the others to gather firewood. A fire could signal their location, but they would