House Cleaning. 15

Sitting on the outskirts of Grish, Eheren and the boys rested. The sun was high noon and it felt warm on their skin after their time in the coldness of the temples underground caverns. Eheren looked to the city, his and Wes home. It was quiet and still. He knew much of what Mags knew now so he knew his family was still there. But they were different now. They were vampires. So was Wes's family. He knew he had to tell him and how hard it would be for him to accept.
[We're gong to have to show him.] Mags told him. [Either that or just let him go.]
[We can't let him go.] Eheren thought. [ We can't, he'd go home and they would get him. I accept what's happened to us. Can't he come to New Keanna with us?]
[Of couse, He'd be welcome.] Mags told him.
[What about us?] He thought. [What's to become of me?]
[I am now a part of you. We have merged forever. My magic is now uses as your body is now mine. But I want you to know this is your body. I am a part of you now yes, and I can leave for periods of time. But you will always be in control. I'm sure there will be times you turn control over to me. But I am happy just to feel again. You have no idea what its like to live as a spirit. To never touch except in my dragon form.]
[What about your dragon form?] He asked. [Will he accept me?]
[ I think Shine will accept you.] Mags told him. [You have the heart of a dragon. Thats why I picked you not any of the others. Your bravery and courage. The way you cared for them. Yes you, I have no doubt have a dragons heart.]
[ So what now?]
[We take them home and then you and Wes come back to New Keanna.]
Wes walked over and sat next to Eheren. He had a smile on his face. Eheren smiled back.
" What?" He asked.
" Thank you." He said. " If it wasnt for you, all of us would be dead instead of going home."
" Your welcome." Eheren told. "There something we need to talk about."
" You mean how we got out of there?" Wes whispered." I dont care that you have magic. My grandma does to. She could make things fly though the air. Its no big deal."
" No Wes, not that." Eheren called all of them together. Jess, Bruz and Haran came over and sat with them.
" Its time to get you guys home." He told them. "So I need to know where your from."
" Im from here." Jess said. He pointed to Grish. " I dont live far. I can make my own way home. Dont worry about me. Thanks for all your help. I wont forget you."
He waved and turned to go. Eheren stopped him.
" No dont go." He said.
" But my Ma and Pa will be worried. I've been gone so long. Eheren its not far,"
" Both of you look at Grish." The boys turned to look at the city. Nothing moved. Not a cat or dog. Not even birds flew over head. It was completely silent. Usually you would find chilren playing. Men going back and forth to the docks or work. But there was nothing.
" The city is dead." Eheren said. " Vampires raided and took all of them. I know my families dead. So is yours. Im sorry."
" No!!" Jess said backing toward the city. " That cant be true! There not dead!!"
" No there not. Their vampires now. Im sorry."
"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Jess turned and ran into the city.
"Come back!!" Eheren and the others ran after him into the city. Pass the dark shops and closed and covered windows of all the homes they passed. Not a single ray of light could get into any house in this city now. Jess found his house as Eheren caught with him. He grabbed him by the arm and spun him around.
" WAIT!!" Eheren shouted. " After all the vampires we've seen and how close we are to the temple you dont believe me? Where did you think all those vampires were coming from? Those were our people Jess. They were all changed."
" Please." He said with eyes full of tears. " Not my family."
[ He has to see it for himself Eheren. Take him in. I can protect you.]
" You want to see?" He asked.
" I have to." Jess answered.
" Wes, you need to see this to." Wes walked up ans stood beside him." All of you stay close to me. Dont wander off."
Eheren pulled at the door. It was closed tight but he got it open. The inside of the house was dark as night. Eneren made a gesture with his hand and a light probe appeared. He cast it into the house then slowly walked in. Room by room they searched. They didnt find anything.
" See?" Jess said. " My families safe somewhere."
" Where does this trapdoor go?" Wes asked. He pointed to a door in the floor.
"The root celler.Theres no one down there."
" Open it." Jess pulled the latch the threw back the door. He started down and Eheren stopped him.
" Me first." Eheren walked down the stairs with the probe in front of him. He looked around and saw all the storage the celler was used for. Then he saw some kind od blankets covering something on the floor.
" Stand back." He said. He reached down and pulled back the blankets and there laying on the floor was Jess's parents with blood running from there mouths. All the boys stepped back from the horror they saw.
" Nooooooooooo!!!!" He grabbed Eheren and sobbed into his shoulder.
" Come on." he said. "We have to go now."
Quietly they all made there way back upstairs. Jess grabbed clothes for them all and then they made there way back to the abandoned house on the edge of town.
"So what are we going to do?" Bruz asked.
" We're going to get you all home." Eheren told them. "I know a safe place for Wes and Jess."" No." Jess said. " Not until we destroy eveything in this city."
" I know people that can take care of that." Eheren told them.
" No." Wes said. " We have to do it. Not others. This is something I want to do. You can go if you want. But I'll kill them all lf I have to by myself."
" We will all help." Haran said." You magic can help us Eheren."
[There right. This is something they need to do. You and Wes and Jess have lost your whole families. They want to strike back.]
[But how can they help?]
[They cant. But I can teach them a spell that will set the city ablaze. It will be us casting it. But they wont know that. First we have to call for help. We need to be able to get out of here.]
[Call for help. I'll tell then the plan.]
Eheren told them about the dragons coming and about how they were going to burn the town. The boys agreed happily.
[Rage, I need help.]
[ Father, whats wrong? Are you hurt?]
[ No my son. I need you and Blaze here right away. I'll explain while you travel. Bring my body please.]
[ Im on my way] Blaze sent.
[ So am I Father.]
It didnt take them long to fly to Grish. The boys stared in wonder as Blaze and Rage came flying in. They landed out beyond the house and shifted bacl to human form and came on to the house. Eheren walked out to meet them.
" How do you do" Rage smiled. "Your one of the young men my father spoke of. Im King Rage. Its nice to meet you."
[ I guess there something I forgot to mention.] Eheren smiled.
Rage looked at him in shock. He knew that voice had come from him, and it was Mags mental voice. But it came from this boy.
" Father?"
" Its me Rage." He said. " Or more like, its us now."
" What? How?"
" Its a long story. But its the only way I could save them. Give my Shine please."
Rage reached into the bag around his neck and took out the small dragon and handed it to Eheren.
[ What do I do?]
[ I recognize and accept you Eheren. Hold my to your chest. I will do the rest.] Shine spoke to him.
[ I told you, you had a dragon heart. Do as he says.]
Eheren took the dragon and held him to his chest. Shine woke and moved into him. Rage and Blaze stepped back and gave him room to shift. The change began. His arms and legs grew and became scaled. His neck lengthened and his head changed. Wings and tail grew and he became Shine, the energy dragon. He roared.
[ We are one. I like this.]
" Welcome Eheren to our clan." Rage said.
[ Thank you.]
He shifted back to human form dressed in tan leathers.
" Let us introduce you to the boys." Eheren said. They walked back to the house.
" So are you Mags, Shine or Eheren? Blaze asked.
" We are all." He said. " We're all here. But you can call us Eheren. We like that name."
Back in the house Eheren introduced them all and told them of the plan and why the town had to burn.
" These are blood thirsty thing in there." Eheren looked at all four boys. They came over and stood with him.
" Blaze, you go to the north end of town. Rage southeast. me and the boys will stay here. On our mark we blast this town and burn it to the ground killing all of them. Lets go."
Everyone went outside and Rage and Blaze took to the air and flew off to there burn sites. Once they were all at there marks Eheren told the boys the spell.

FIRE FIRE COME TO ME.
FIRE FIRE BLAZING FREE.
FIRE FIRE BURNING FREE.
FIRE FIRE SET THEM FREE.

From three places the town began to blaze. Higher and higher the flames grew until soon all the city was covered with flames. Blaze and Rage came back and picked up them up. From the skies they watched the town burn. Blaze took Bruz and Haran home and Jess and Wes came back with them home on Rage. Eheren had a lot to tell them when they got home. But first, he got some rest.