The Adventures of Lando Erif :: The Day I Yelled at a Dragon (Pt. Two)

These holidays are confusing my brain. I have officially forgotten what day it is.

Until boom, it's Friday morning and I remember I should have a post ready.

And naturally I don't.

But that's not to say that you don't get something, because (as was stated last week) I'm brilliant at doing things last minute. (like my week's worth of maths that I frequently put off until I have to do it all on Friday)

(If you missed part one, no worries, just hop over here to read it!)

Note: if you find my brain, please put it on the ridgepole of your roof and I will send a dragon to come pick it up. Thank you.

Apparently Nets with a capital are more special than nets without one.

As I sprinted behind Titus, following toward ‘the Nets’ I didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t what I saw. Glowing, golden nets, stretched out with a post at the four corners, each emitting a slight electrical buzz. The Nets were about three meters square and there were three of them in a row, each with their own control board on the right hand support post.

“Get in!” Thomas yelled.

Titus vaulted in and I followed suit. Thomas stood by the control board, punching in the directions on the keypad. “When I’m finished, I’ll have less than half a second to get in. So be ready,” he said without looking up.

“Make sure you’re not sticking off the edge of the Net,” Titus instructed, his blonde hair glowing in the light of the Nets.

“Okay,” Thomas called. “Ready?”

“Good to go,” Titus replied.

Thomas took a deep breath and pushed a final button, lunging for the Net almost at the same time.

But he was too slow. My vision began to blur as the Net started humming. Just before Dragon Island disappeared, I reached out and grabbed Thomas’s arm.

My shoulder wrenched as darkness closed around us and I gritted my teeth. The world spun, blurring past in a whirl. In a moment, Sydney Harbour Bridge flashed into view.

We crash landed on a jetty. “Ow,” I groaned. Something was on top of me, no two somethings. My vision came into focus and I realised it was Titus and, to my great relief, Thomas as well.

“That was the worst ride ever,” he wheezed, staggering to his feet. “Outside the Net. Not good.”

“My arm’s sore,” I said, feeling my shoulder gingerly.

Titus grimaced. “You did just pull my little brother all the way from Dragon Island the Sydney. That’s no small feat, especially for first time on the Nets,” he coughed. “I don’t think the other time counts. Generally we have someone on the other side to guide us, so it’s normally a much smoother ride. But then, normally it isn’t so urgent.”

His words jerked me back to the situation at hand. “So how do we stop the Water Dragon?” I asked.

“We’ll have to locate it first,” Titus said, looking out at the calm water.

“I don’t think that’ll be hard,” I replied grimly, pointing in the opposite direction.

He swung his gaze to where I pointed and his eyes widened. “Woah, that warning seriously underestimated the ‘Large.’ He’s massive!”

If you didn’t know to look closely, the monster’s approach would look like an extra huge wave. But I could see the vicious green eyes flashing even from that distance and the slimy lumps of the dragon’s head. The Wild One’s body was hidden by water but the head was enough to show the vast size of the Dragon.

“We’ve got to get this over it,” Thomas said, his voice excited. He pulled a small Net out of his pocket. Seeing my incredulous stare he explained, “It does grow. Nets are magic after all.”

“Oh good, so long as it grows enough,” I said. “If we get over to that wharf just there we’ll be as close as we’ll ever get.” I frowned, something was familiar about that place, like I’d been there before.

The twins nodded agreement and I led the way at a run towards the wharf. I remembered dad and ran even faster. We had barely put a foot on the planking when we were stopped by an official.

“Wait up there mates,” he said sternly. “You can’t come rushing up here. This is the unloading dock.”

Titus and Thomas were stopped in their tracks. They exchanged a helpless glance and I could tell they were out of ideas.

“Please,” I said earnestly, thinking rapidly. “My dad works here, we were just going to see him.”

The man frowned, “What’s his name?”

“Matt Erif,” I told him, holding my breath. It had to work.

“Ah, you’re Matt’s kid are you? Well, all right then,” he nodded, stepping out of the way. “You can go along. Just don’t get in the way.”

“Thanks,” I said, before taking off down the wharf.

“Quick thinking,” Thomas said as we skidded to a stop at the end of the wharf. “I thought we were stumped there.”

The Water Dragon was much closer now, but still way out of throwing range. “How will we get him to come closer?” I asked desperately, looking around at the ignorant workers back down the wharf.

“I’m not sure we’ll have to,” Titus said slowly.

The blood drained from my face when I saw what he meant. The enormous Sea Dragon had changed direction and was headed straight for us.

The metres separating it from the wharf disappeared and in a scarily fast time I was staring straight onto the bright green eyes.

Then the head rose from the water. Seaweed plopped into the sea and streams of water dribbled off the gigantic head.

“Yikes,” I squeaked, my voice going several tones higher than normal.

The twins tried to dodge but the dragon was too quick for them. It shot a pumbling deluge of water on them and they both were knocked off the wharf with the massive force.

Then it turned to me, opened its mouth and water rocketed toward me at a speed which I would have thought impossible had I not seen it.

I dived to the decking, water pounded my back, flattening me to the boards. Clamping my lips shut, I rolled sideways, slipping away.

Thomas spluttered in the water behind me and I heard Titus muttering and the sounds of someone flopping on the wharf a little further away. Picking myself up, I glared at the dragon.

It seemed surprised that I hadn’t been mashed to a pulp. The huge head drew close, I dared not take my eyes off the wild green ones. “Thomas?” I said tentatively. “That Net would be good right now.”

A groan from the water was enough for me to realise that Thomas was in no condition for dragon catching just at that moment.

“Oh great,” I muttered under my breath, taking a careful step backwards.

The Wild One narrowed it eyes and let out a warning grumble.

“Oh. No going backwards then,” I said quickly, shuffling back a little as I spoke, hoping that it would be distracted.

The dragon opened its mouth and gave a thunderous roar. I could tell it was about to let rip with an even bigger gush of water than before, and if it did I was dead.

I opened my mouth to yell ‘Help!’ or something useless of that kind but then a strange heat surged up inside me and instead of ‘Help!’ I managed to yell flames.

Go figure. Apparently I could breathe fire.

Believe me, it was the greatest shock of my life to see a stream of fire pouring out of my mouth. I almost passed out in terror.

I ran out of breath (fire?) and doubled over, coughing and gasping for air. The Water Dragon was in no better condition. It opened and shut it mouth, making wretched gagging sounds. The dazzling emerald eyes were crossing and uncrossing, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

“Net,” I managed to gasp before doubling over again in a fit of coughing. My tongue felt like a scorched piece of bacon.

A golden blur whizzed past my ear, missing me by centimeters. The Dragon didn’t know what hit him before the magic of the Net expanded it and secured the Wild One firmly. In a moment the Net began to hum and the dragon shimmered out of sight.

“Was I imagining things, or did you just breathe fire?” Titus asked.

“I was wondering the same thing,” I replied weakly.

Thomas was still in the water. He’d been slammed by the main force of the water and still didn’t look the best for it. I offered him a hand.

“How did you throw a Net from in there?” I asked, my mouth still stinging.

“Didn’t. Titus did,” Thomas groaned, taking my hand.

Together, Titus and I got him out of the water. He lay groaning of the wharf, one hand over his eyes. “Remind me not to do this every again. I think maybe Sir George has an idea with sending out the more advanced recruits after Waters.” 

“Speaking of Sir George…” Titus shifted, eyes darting nervously. “Thomas and I'd better not be late for lunch duty or we’re gonna get in trouble big time.”

I glanced at him. “I suppose we’d better get go—”

“Lando?” A familiar voice interrupted me.

“Dad?” I gulped, turning around.

My father was standing a few meters down the deck, eyebrows in a low frown. “What are you doing here?” he asked. He looked at the twins and then at the place where the ReLocated Water Dragon had been.

“Um…I didn’t get blown up,” I tried hopefully.

“I think you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

- le end -

There we are. Lando story number one completed! It feels a little strange to be posting up short stories, rather than one long continuous one, but hopefully it works out. (And I'm still brainstorming other ideas to use later on)

So tell me all, how was it?
Are you ready for another story next week?
(assuming I actually remember xD)