Secret of the Dragon's Wings

By Derek Hart

Secret of the Dragon’s Wing is the final installment in the adventures of Gavin Kane, Emily Scott, and Bunty Digby, seventeen-year-olds who struggle with their daily lives in England during the pivotal year of 1945. The war in Europe is drawing to a close, as the German military begins to collapse. The Allies are closing in on Berlin and the Japanese have lost almost all of the land they conquered four years earlier. The Cornish teenagers have repeatedly defeated the forces of evil, but are faced with the last desperate gasp of sick and deranged minds within the collapsing fortress inside Nazi Germany.

Secret of the Dragon’s Wing also brings to a climax the wonderful friendship and alliance between this teenaged trio and their beloved dragon ally, Thaddeus Osbert. Unfortunately, Thaddeus must face the irreversible consequences of man’s meddling with atomic energy. The old dragon fears for the very survival of humanity, but in the most desperate hours of danger, help comes from unexpected friends within the magical kingdom and beyond the very portals of time and space. As the forces of light and darkness wage a war of everlasting consequences, Gavin Kane stands beside his beloved Thaddeus and Camelot’s legendary King Arthur, whose true identity comes as quite a surprise. Welsh, Cornish and Breton tradition claimed that Arthur never really died, but would inexorably return to lead his people against their enemies, when the fate of their nation was at stake. Be prepared for one final battle, which will decide the fate of mankind and every remaining dragon in the universe, with a twist that will forever change your view of history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Derek Hart
• Release date: Feb 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463239926

Derek Hart

Derek Hart is the prolific author of 28 action and adventure novels, known for their historical accuracy, while still maintaining a high level of entertainment. Romance is also a vital part of Derek Hart's trademark style and his novels generally appeal to men and women alike. Mr. Hart authored Secret of the Dragon's Eye, his first novel aimed at all age groups, which met with instant success and outstanding reviews. The author has since followed with Secret of the Dragon's Breath, Secret of the Dragon's Claw, Secret of the Dragon's Scales and Secret of the Dragon's Teeth. The final volume of the 6-episode series, Secret of the Dragon's Wings, will be available in November of 2018. He has since started a new series, post-apocalyptic in nature, with Minerva's Shield and Nike's Chariot. The third installment, Apollo's Plague came out in November 2017. Abandoned was published in March 2018 and Game Over premiered in June 2018. List of published books: Secret of the Dragon’s Eye Secret of the Dragon’s Breath Secret of the Dragon’s Claw Secret of the Dragon’s Scales Secret of the Dragon’s Teeth Secret of the Dragon’s Wings Claws of the Raven Danger Cruise Favor for FDR Crooked Cross Factor Tracks of the Predator For Love or Honor Bound Tales of the Yellow Silk Element of Surprise Seas Aflame Ice Flotilla High Altitude Low Opening Tangles of Truth Shadows in Replay Flag of Her Choosing Tidal Trap Dangerous (Poetry) Executive Firepower The CARLA Conspiracy The Wreckchasers Minerva's Shield Nike's Chariot Apollo's Plague Abandoned Game Over Mercury's Wings Before the Dead Walked Books coming soon: The Samuel Clemens Affair Pearl and Topaz By the Moon Darkly Broadmoor Manor Neptune's Trident Operation Sovereign Primary Weapon Saturn's Fire Tails of Thaddeus Enchanted Mesa Eagle Blue Last Guidon Excess Baggage Container Carta Codex Shipwreckers Romeo Tango The 5x5 Gang Desert Salvage

Book preview

Secret of the

Dragon’s Wings

Book Six

Derek Hart

Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.

Friedrich Nietzsche

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2019 Derek Hart

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Published by Derek Hart at Smashwords

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

This book is a work of fiction. While the names of some places are real, the characters or actions that appear within them are products of the author’s imagination

Table of Contents

Dedication

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Epilogue

Historical Notes

Author’s Final Note

Contact Derek Hart

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Dimiter Kolev

Foreword

Secret of the Dragon’s Wings is the final installment in the adventures of Gavin Kane, Emily Scott, and Bunty Digby, seventeen-year-olds who struggle with their daily lives in England during the pivotal year of 1945. The war in Europe is drawing to a close as the German military begins to collapse. The Allies are closing in on Berlin and the Japanese have lost almost all of the land they conquered four years earlier. The Cornish teenagers have repeatedly defeated the forces of evil, but are faced with the last desperate gasp of sick and deranged minds within the collapsing fortress inside Nazi Germany.

Secret of the Dragon’s Wings also brings to a climax the wonderful friendship and alliance between this teenaged trio and their beloved dragon ally, Thaddeus Osbert. Unfortunately, Thaddeus must face the irreversible consequences of man’s meddling with atomic energy. The old dragon fears for the very survival of humanity, but in the most desperate hours of danger, help comes from unexpected friends within the magical kingdom and beyond the very portals of time and space. As the forces of light and darkness wage a war of everlasting consequences, Gavin Kane stands beside his beloved Thaddeus and Camelot’s legendary King Arthur, whose true identity comes as quite a surprise.

Welsh, Cornish and Breton tradition claimed that Arthur never really died, but would inexorably return to lead his people against their enemies when the fate of their nation was at stake. Be prepared for one final battle, which will decide the fate of mankind and every remaining dragon in the universe, with a twist that will forever change your view of history.

Preface

Dragon wings have often been portrayed as the weakest point in dragon physiology. According to lore, the membrane ripped and tore when hit with projectiles and an old dragon was easy to spot by the number of rips and holes in the wings. This was not the case with Thaddeus Osbert, because he was blessed with enchanted wings, which quickly healed.

The wings of a typical dragon were based on the principle arm of any animal, because they consisted of a thumb and four lengthened fingers, the whole connected with a membrane. It was significant to understand that the similar structure of a human between the shoulder, the arm and the hand was homologous with the corresponding structures of the wing for the dragon. It was also important to realize that the membrane of the wing didn’t attach close to the shoulder, but near the bottom of the back of the dragon, close to the thighs.

This was important, since if the wings would be connected in the top of the back, the dragon would fly, but it would have a vertical position (head up, posterior & tail down) and would have a serious disadvantage for speed and maneuverability. When the wings were connected at the bottom of the back, the dragon could maintain a horizontal position. Thus, the head and tail were used as rudder and allowed great maneuverability. This also allowed a greater surface for the wings, which was a critical element during flight. Thaddeus was a Western dragon, with four legs and separate wings, giving him a huge advantage over his foes.

The many secrets of Thaddeus become critically apparent when discussing his wings.

1. His membrane wings were made from a material tougher than ordinary skin, but not as rigid as his scales. Thaddeus could feel the wind through these membranes and very accurately adjust the arc of his wings to gain more lift. This capability gave the red dragon a huge advantage when thermals occurred, as he could feel the very best angle for soaring or gliding.

2. Thaddeus also had a Kevlar-like base structure in his wings which, while already lighter than other dragons, were also significantly stronger and resistant to high levels of radioactivity. This gave him added protection as he flew from planet-to-planet throughout the solar system.

3. His wings were also capable of creating more lift, due to flexible wing tips. This reduced loss of vortex on the wing and drag, making the whole use of the wing to gain lift. Whenever Thaddeus launched himself skyward, it was to give him ample time to spread that immense wingspan. The power of his first downward thrust often flattened trees in a fifty-foot radius.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Jodi Roth, Dave Burke, Steve & Linda Gilbert,

Ian Lenthart, Toni Trick, Dimiter Kolev and Linda Mickey for their continued support and valuable input.

Cover art by David M. Burke

Introduction

A Dragon Wings

Whenever a dragon takes to the skies

Moonlight is their constant companion

Whenever a dragon sings the songs of old

The code of honor and justice is renewed

Whenever a dragon soars overhead

Wings extend to protect us all

Whenever a dragon rescues those in danger

The promise fulfilled by history itself.

Whenever a dragon is seen again

Blessed be your soul and enchanted heart

Whenever a dragon bares his teeth

Know that the time has come

Whenever a dragon takes to wing

Do not question flights of fantasy

Whenever a dragon stands by your side

Accept the gift of the universe

By Robert Ian Lenthart

(Used with permission)

Chapter 1

The Bridge at Remagen

Winding its way from Switzerland to the North Sea, the Rhine River historically stood as a natural barrier defending the German heartland that lies beyond it. Since the days of the Roman Empire, the river’s cold, wide, and swift waters have proven to be a formidable obstacle to any aggressor intending to cross it. These facts were well known to the Allied commanders as their forces continued their assault toward the German interior in March 1945. The crossing of the Rhine would be a difficult and costly task.

As the Allied armies approached the German border, Hitler ordered the destruction of all the bridges that spanned the Rhine. By March 7, they all had been blown up, all except one - the Ludendorff railroad bridge at the little resort town of Remagen, a few miles to the southeast of Cologne. On that day, Thaddeus Osbert once again intervened on behalf of the Allies. That afternoon, an American reconnaissance patrol reached the wooded hills overlooking the river at Remagen, and to their surprise, discovered the bridge was still intact.

The race was on.

The Americans quickly launched a full-scale assault on the bridge, while the defending Germans scrambled to detonate the explosive charges that had been set to destroy it. The fighting was fierce, as both sides realized what was at stake. The American soldiers scrambled under withering gunfire from girder to girder, returning fire and ripping the explosives from the bridge’s superstructure.

Completely cloaked, Thaddeus flew under the bridge spans, using his wings to sever the fuse wires from the charges placed in vulnerable areas. He worked at a feverish pace, knowing that only minutes separated him from the impending detonation.

Beyond the four towers of the main span, which glistened in a light drizzle of rain, the Americans saw Remagen’s 400-yard-long, three-span structure across the Rhine. The bridge ran to the village of Erpel on the east bank and across it traversed two railroad tracks. Other American forces had come up against the same sort of thing before, but always, as they came to the Rhine crossings, the bridges went up in great explosions before their eyes, set off by German demolition engineers.

Retreating traffic was still moving across the Ludendorf Bridge. On the German side locomotives puffed, awaiting orders to pull out. American Lieutenant-Colonel Leonard Engemann was in command of the reconnaissance company and was determined to save this bridge if it was at all possible. A forward platoon led by Lieutenant Emmett Burrows, sped down the slope to the bridge entrance. There was a flurry of shooting as the Germans, taken completely by surprise, scurried about trying to organize a defense. A German gun was knocked out, some German soldiers killed. Then the Yanks, crouching low against machine-gun fire coming from the bridge towers, ran out onto the bridge. Just as they stepped on the span, an explosion occurred three-quarters of the way down the bridge. The Germans were setting off demolition charges, and the men thought surely their opportunity had vanished.

Incredibly, only slight damage was done. They raced on.

Thaddeus flew out from under the bridge. His form could be seen, even though he was invisible, because he was covered with debris. Both German and American troops stood dumbfounded, pointing out this obvious apparition. Embarrassed that he had carelessly been spotted, Thaddeus violently shook his scales and the junk fell off him into the Rhine. Flying back under, the dragon spread his mighty wings again to support the incredible weight of the span, sagging and bowing, but remaining strong.

As soon as he had been seen, the dragon once again disappeared. Many soldiers on both sides were convinced the concussion of the explosion had created such wild illusions. The battle continued, while men questioned their sanity.

Soon the bridge was swarming with American soldiers, while Allied engineers cut and jerked out wires leading to dynamite charges. Gingerly they detached detonators and lifted boxes of explosives from the piers.

The Americans learned that the Germans planned to blow up the span, but the German officer assigned the demolition job was drunk when the American tanks reached Remagen. The delay in following orders created the fatal gap, as the Americans poured across the span.

German soldiers and civilians, gathering from miles around, were sitting in grandstand seats at every vantage point on the east bank, waiting for the spectacular event to come off, when Burrows’ patrol ran onto the bridge, just ten minutes before the hour fixed for its destruction. Two small explosions occurred, but the bridge only shuddered and remained standing. Several of the fuses proved faulty and the explosives were of inferior quality.

These witnesses had also seen a weird shape emerge from beneath the span. Whatever it was, it was flying, carrying twisted and blackened girders, chunks of brick and mortar, as well as piles of unidentifiable debris on its back. Then, with an obvious shudder, the mirage cast off the junk, which tumbled into the fast-moving current of the river.

By nightfall, scores of tanks and hundreds of trucks were moving up and across the Rhine. All roads leading to Remagen were packed with American troops, with every available transport in the sector. Tanks were the most vital and were given clearance to cross to the other side. Just days before, soldiers who had been ready to drop from fatigue, were instantly revitalized and charged ahead, broad grins splitting their begrimed faces. The Ludendorf Bridge had become a one-way street to Berlin.

Although the Americans had secured the bridgehead, the Germans were still not ready to give up their efforts to destroy the bridge at Remagen. Hitler ordered 21 bombers to attack the structure, but the surrounding antiaircraft fire from the Americans was too strong to penetrate. Several fanatical SS engineer teams attempted underwater attacks, but they were all killed before reaching their target.

Thaddeus flew daily missions to check on the stability of the bridge, but he could tell the support beams were weakening rapidly. Using his flame breath for brief periods of time, the dragon managed to weld several sagging beams back into place. The Americans had hundreds of brave engineers repairing the blast-damaged cross-sections, but there were too many to shore up in time.

Shortly after three o’clock PM on the afternoon of March 17, 1945, with a sickening roar of torn steel, the bridge at Remagen finally collapsed and fell into the Rhine. Of the 200 engineers working on it at the time, 93 were wounded and 28 killed. The destruction, ten days after it was liberated by the US, did not, however, alter the American advance east of the Rhine, as a pontoon bridge had already been completed.

While Thaddeus Osbert was busy helping the Allies cross into the Rhine Valley, Merlin’s much-maligned prophecy was about to be realized. All across the land, the legends of old began to be reborn, as small globules of antimatter leaked throughout Europe, carried by the winds of fate. As the veil of Avalon became corrupted, so the separation between past, present and future shimmied, blending both time and space into one ghastly mess. For most humans, this violation of physical laws went unnoticed. Yet for those few gifted in magic, the chaos could either be their undoing or a great blessing.

So it was for Vortigern, as he stood poised near the precipice of ancient history. He was once again ready to conquer his enemies, but this time around, he would show no mercy. The ancient Black King, who never really died, but traded his soul for eternal power, had now returned to this most critical crossroads of the human experience. The wicked king had reappeared near Osnabrück, at the Stones of Charlemagne. In ancient times, this enchanted location was the site of the largest pagan temple and burial area. When Charlemagne mustered the strength to force the Christian faith upon the Germans, his forces killed the pagan priests and desecrated the graves. It was Charlemagne who broke the largest altar stone with his sword. However, powerful magic remained infused at the site and on the winter solstice and summer equinox strange orbs of light were seen, screams were heard, and blood stains appeared on the stones.

Ages before, Vortigern had summoned the power to change history and alter time, but his fellow mages convinced him to sacrifice a fatherless boy, whose blood they needed to sprinkle over the walls of his castle. This boy, when found, unfortunately proved to be an incredibly powerful wizard. The lad was none other than the infamous Merlin, whose reputation and that of King Arthur may very well have been the sole reason that anyone still remembered Vortigern.

However, the Black King vowed to make certain he was never forgotten again, but for far more terrible acts yet to come. His alliance with the forces of darkness was a necessity, born from cunning, rather than desperation. He had been defeated once, but his return was prophesized by that very same Merlin.

Yet so many of the legends had been written in error! Writers across the ages created fiction unsubstantiated and therefore saturated with falsehoods. No legend throughout history was filled with pure inaccuracies that that of King Arthur.

Vortigern hadn’t been killed by that legendary bolt of green lightning, but rather he absorbed the energy and became something much more powerful beyond the pitiful understanding of mere mortals. He had been summoned from beyond the darkest curtain by another far more evil creature, to complete his task of world domination.

As it was, King Arthur’s pending return had proven too attractive to all the dark forces, now that the arcane portal had been torn asunder. Impervious to modern weapons, these creatures could only be destroyed with melee combat, incorporating enchanted swords and magical staffs. The clang of steel would be heard echoing throughout the lands, as mythical armies would clash again across sacred grounds known only to archeologists, history professors, and the hidden folk.

Schloss Wewelsburg was also such an enchanted site, because it sat on a nexus of ley energies, joining fabled gates of immense power around the world. The seal had been broken and soon Void Dragons would destroy all of humanity entirely. Only a master of darkness could control them.

Vortigern felt certain that he was the chosen one.

Ah, but if only it was that simple. Vortigern had not yet realized that there were other contenders for the title of Dominus Tenebris, who were also gathering their forces for war.

Even more horrendous was the reawakening of an evil creature long thought dead. While Adicus Schinagel fumbled and bumbled with dark magic he neither understood, nor knew how to control, he had actually awakened a beast Vivienne had put to sleep 1,500 years earlier. This greatly feared black dragon almost destroyed the entire population of England at the time, just before Thaddeus Osbert’s father joined forces with Uther Pendragon.

To speak the name of Nigrum Draco within the hallowed halls of Eyrbyggja was a penalty punishable by banishment or even death. None of the wizardry world would be capable of defeating this void dragon, horribly insane for many centuries. In fact, there was only one dragon alive that might be able to defeat this specific force of darkness.

Thaddeus Osbert alone held the secret weapons necessary to change the outcome