The Dragon's Scale (COMPLETE, EDITING)

11.1 || Aftermath

ONCE, WHEN JOSH and Tom were still in middle school, they had stayed in the car while Tom's mom went into the store. They turned up the stereo as loud as it would go and spent almost twenty minutes rocking out to music that vibrated the entire car. When they spotted Tom's mom coming out of the store, they had cut off the music instantly.

The moments after the battle felt much like that. Confused adrenaline buzzed through Josh's veins while the silence of the forest deafened him, all while his senses strained with the overload of emptiness.

Boomer, I'm alive, Josh said as he stared at Akachi and Cale. They stood a small distance away, Akachi crouched down with the woman while the two Paladins shared a muttered conversation.

Boomer channeled his presence through the bond, and although miles away, his warmth wrapped around Josh like when he leaned back against the curled-up dragon. I'm glad Jodas contacted Ezraim in time.

That makes two of us. Any longer and I would be a goner. Josh adjusted his position against the tree. He hissed when the movement sent a jolt of pain through his ribs. Pain sucked.

"Yeah, getting attacked by an ogre hurts, doesn't it?"

Josh tensed at the annoyance in Cale's words. He raised his eyes to meet the other's glare. Even if it only caused more pain, Josh set up straighter and glowered back. "I would say so, but I'm not sure how you snapping at me is supposed to help."

Cale shook his head and scoffed. "What in the world were you even thinking? Observe. Don't fight. Stay hidden in one spot. Any of this ring a bell?"

"Seriously?" He dug his fist into the ground. If only he could stand without the risk of his knees giving out. Then Cale couldn't keep glaring down at him like he was a child being scolded. "This is about me not listening? Excuse me for being more worried about saving some lady from an orc you guys let get away."

Some part of Josh knew it wasn't fair to drag Akachi into this since he wasn't the one being a self-righteous idiot. The other, louder part just wanted to find some way to take a jab at anything involving Cale.

"We noticed it escape, but it was just one and it didn't go for you. We could have easily tracked it back down after we dealt with the rest. If it chased after a woman, you should have told us. But instead of trusting us, you took things into your own hands."

"You guys seemed a bit busy," Josh snapped. "I don't get why I'm being yelled at for trying to save someone's life."

"Because if you or the woman got killed, that would have been our—"

"Joshua. Caleb."

Both of their mouths snapped shut. Akachi stood, the woman in his arms. Calm, dark eyes flickered between them. When neither Josh nor Cale said anything, Akachi nodded his head in satisfaction. He held the woman out to Cale. He took her, and Akachi walked over to Josh.

"Yes, Josh," Akachi said as he crouched down beside him. He placed a light-enveloped hand on Josh's arm. "You should have told us about the woman. Even if it was just one orc, you're still new."

Josh glanced away. "I know that," he said. "I only wanted to get the woman and run her back to you guys. I tried to avoid fighting."

He caught Akachi giving him a small smile from the corner of his eye. "Then thank you for that, but you still should have told us just to be safe. Pure intentions or not, something can always go wrong. Which, Cale, it seems you and I failed to consider."

Akachi shifted so he could also see Cale, but he didn't take his hand off Josh's arm. As he continued to talk, the light pooled over Josh's skin. A soothing warmth seeped into him from it and spread through his body. He sagged as the pain grew weaker.