Page 5 of The Timeless Vigilante

Gen nodded, kicking her own waffle around with her fork. “That sounds smart.” She’d heard about this Dragon Elite, the organization of angel dragonriders who presided over the arbitrations of the world’s government. They were the supreme source of order over the world’s affairs. They were different from the Rogue Riders, the other organization of demon dragonriders who presided over the criminal world, keeping it at bay. Both were considered valuable and neither bad, but they served a different purpose. Like yin and yang. Like black and white.

“Well, I think you’ll fit in really well in the Gullington,” Sophia offered. “How about we take your dragon’s egg there for a change of pace? I’m sure you’re getting bored hanging around here while these two work.” She thumbed in the direction of Liv and Clark.

“I don’t think she’s bored,” Clark said, leaning forward, giving Gen a pointed look. “Last night, there was a strange report about a lone woman who broke up a gang fight before it could take down civilians. And it was right down the street from here. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

Gen hid her grin. “What’s a gang? What’s a civilian? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Liv threw her head back, laughing. “I love her so much. She’s ignorant when she needs to be and then educated when she decides. We will never know the truth with this one.”

Clark regarded his sister with annoyance. “She’s your relative, for sure.”

Gen patted him on the forearm. “You are much more like my father, the first councilor for the House of Fourteen. He abided by rules and wanted the rest of the world to follow suit. I, on the other hand, well, I was like Liv here. I wanted to break the world and make it anew.”

Liv laughed again. “Damn it, if you’re not just me from the past.”

Gen nodded, smiling at Sophia. “But yes, I think the Gullington sounds old-world and more up my alley. I don’t understand electricity and modern conveniences. Take me to Scotland.”

“Okay, but just so you know, it’s somewhat modernized, just more stuck,” Sophia advised. “But yes, I think it could help you to know when your dragon is going to hatch.”

All four Beaufonts looked to the center of the table at the large dragon egg. Gen wanted to meet her dragon. That’s what she needed to make this strange new life feel complete. But she knew her dragon was waiting until she was ready. So she just needed to do everything to get there. Then they could start their life together, tearing up the bad guys and making the world a better place—finally.

CHAPTER FIVE

THE HEARTBEAT OF THE HIGHLANDS

The Gullington, Scotland, United Kingdom

Emerging from the swirling portal, Gen found herself enveloped by the rugged embrace of the Scottish Highlands. The rolling green hills were a stark contrast to the metallic sheen and incessant drone of Los Angeles. The air was crisp and invigorating, filling her lungs with a freshness reminiscent of an England she once knew, yet untouched by the soot and clamor of 1426 London.

Before her stretched vast expanses of undulating hills like waves spreading towards distant mountains which pierced the sky with their stoic presence. Rock formations stood majestically like guards across the landscape. They cast long, dark shadows against the heather. Hidden amongst these natural fortresses were caves, their mouths agape promising shelter or perhaps the entrance to worlds unseen. A loch lay nestled in the valley below, its surface a mirror to the changing moods of the sky.

It wasn’t just the sights that captivated Gen, it was the scent of wet earth mingled with the hint of wild thyme and the peaty perfume of distant fires. The mix of smells painted a picture more vivid than any she had ever known. The sounds, too, were a solace to her soul after the loud and incessant mechanical noises of Los Angeles. The melodic call of a distant bird, the rustle of grass underfoot and the soft murmur of the loch lapping at its banks were all welcoming sounds from a world Gen thought she’d lost forever.

Yet, amidst this familiarity, a sense of strangeness tugged at her mind. Something unseen pulsed in the distance, its rhythm steady and compelling, like the heartbeat of the land itself. Gen wasn’t afraid of this unknown entity that she felt before her, but rather extremely curious.

There, in the wilds of Scotland, Gen found not the disorienting sense of her arrival in Los Angeles, but a connection to the earth that felt as ancient as her soul. The contrast was profound. Moments prior, Gen had been in a world where nature was mastered and muted. Now to step back in time to where wildlife was revered made her feel a sense of home that she’d thought she’d lost forever.

Sophia, the picture of elegance and poise, stood patiently beside Gen, allowing her a peaceful moment to get to know the land. Gen knew that this was her relative, but she thought that in any life and with any arrangement she would like the dragonrider beside her. She was pure goodness, not too overwhelming in personality and not too bland.

Liv and Clark, who had stayed in Los Angeles, were the extremes to this, leaving the younger sister, Sophia, to have found her place in the middle. Gen also quite adored Liv and Clark because their personalities uniquely matched them to their roles as warrior and councilor, respectively.

“This is known as the Expanse,” Sophia began, finally breaking the silence, waving at the hills, mountains and loch in the distance. “The dragons live in the Caves there.” She pointed to the opening in the rock formations.

Suddenly, Gen couldn’t look away as she held her dragon’s egg close to her chest. She longed to see a dragon in the flesh since she’d only ever heard of these majestic creatures and later saw artistic renditions of them. The first dragonrider was announced in 1420, the same year that she found her egg. However, the dragon in the egg she held now insisted that he was the first egg spawned and since then, Mother Nature had confirmed this for Gen.

She still couldn’t believe she lived in a world where Mother Nature, who went by Mama Jamba, and Father Time, who went by Papa Creola, were close family friends to the Beaufonts. As Gen regarded the magnificent land before her, she had a feeling things were about to get a lot stranger.

Sophia pointed to the untouched hills where Gen sensed something pulsing like a person. “And over there in the distance?—”

“Is a castle,” Gen interrupted Sophia.

The other woman grinned at her in surprise. “How did you know? Did your dragon tell you?” She indicated to the large purple egg in Gen’s arms.

She shook her head. “No, I just sensed it. But why can’t we see this castle?”

“It’s protected by the Barrier, which keeps the Dragon Elite hidden from enemies or fans.” Sophia laughed, encouraging Gen to follow her forward. “We only need to cross the Barrier and then you can see the Expanse for what it really is.”

True to her word, after a few steps, a huge and majestic castle appeared. It nearly made Gen halt in her tracks, feeling so struck by an image she associated with her old life, which was only a few weeks ago. But still, the rustic look of the castle reminded Gen of her time traveling the hillsides of England and even a few trips through Scotland.

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