As the dark skies were rent by flashes of terrifying lightning, the horse and cart made its weary way toward the castle. The rain lashed down without pause, a rain that had now lasted a thousand years. To the right stood the hills and their warren of paths.

“How much further do we have to go?” the young lad asked.

“Not much further my boy. The old king will be pleased to see us.”

“Why he wants these potatoes I’ll never know,” the young lad said.

The father scowled as the cart rumbled on.

“You know that he has run out son. We will get paid handsomely for this little lot.”

“I’m soaked father.”

“Tis the way of life now son. Born under the storm and die under it too.”

“Will it never end father?”

“How long is a piece of string?”

They saw a fallen tree blocking their way and the father carefully manoeuvred the cart around it. As they passed, he saw the charred wood.

“What could have caused that?” the miserable boy asked.

“Lightning strike I should think.”

A rumble ripped the sky and the sound of huge beating wings grabbed their attention. Looking skyward, they saw a scaly creature with huge wings and a swishing tail.

“Run for it boy!”

The lad had only gone a few steps before they ball of fire enveloped them.

King Henry the Ninth was sitting within his chambers when the guard rushed in.

“Sorry sire but our patrol has found the missing cart.”

“I hope the merchant has a decent explanation for his lateness.”

The guard looked grim.

“They are charred to the bone sire.”

The king stood from his throne and looked at the armour-suited man.

“Fetch my steed and get Charly will you? I need his council on this.”

“Should I assemble the knights’ sire?”

The monarch nodded his consent.

When Charly and Grant arrived, the king gave the bad news.

“Are you sure my liege?”

“Yes Charly I’m sure. What else could be responsible?”

“I admire your candour sir but really. A...”

The king watched his dragon impersonation and laughed aloud.

“You never cease to amaze me Charly.”

“As a matter of fact sire, I never cease to amaze myself.”

Grant smoothed down his too familiar poncho and stroked his long grey beard.

“How though? I mean...Dragons?”

Charly nodded.

“I know what you mean mate. Back in our day you’d get locked up for even thinking it.”

“These things are real,” the king insisted. Obviously one survived our cull.”

“You tried to exterminate them?” Charly asked.

“We found their nest and smashed the eggs. That was ten long years ago.”

Grant glanced at him.

“Seems that mommy is annoyed.”

“Most likely mate. What’s your plan sire?”

“To do battle of course.”

The friends shook their combined heads.

“Without air support you will be massacred sire. The ruddy thing will dive bomb you.”

“That may be true but what other alternative is there. Do you wish my castle burnt to the ground?”

Charly shook his head.

“That would be a terrible tragedy sire. May I suggest an alternative strategy?”

The well-meaning king nodded.

“First of all we need nets. Large ones. Then your pike men can toss it over the wretched animal before your knights finish it off.”

“A good plan but with one flaw,” Grant said gloomily.

“What flaw?”

“We can’t eh, fly you see.”

Charly thumped his arm hard.

“The dragon will be occupied by something a little more important.
How large are the eggs sire?”

They king spread his hands as Charly smiled.

“About the size of an ostrich egg then. I know you have those in the storeroom. Simply take one with us. I’ll carry it.”

The monarch beamed.

“I love that plan. My pike men will stand along the crags as that devil tries to grab it.”

“Precisely sire.”

Grant gave one of his warning glances.

“Whatever is the matter with you?”

Grant said one word.

“Boom.”

The small army had left the safety of the castle and were making
their way to the scene of the terrible attack. The pike men had broken off in the direction of the crags as Charly carried the substitute egg.

As Grant walked at his side he said, “That damn thing shall have us for breakfast.”

“You really think so mate. I’m smarter than that you know. I do have a trick up my sleeve.”

Grant grimaced.

“Then I wish you’d tell me.”

“Silent you two,” the mounted king demanded. “We are nearing the spot.”

Surrounded by his knights whose lances reflected the lightning strikes, the monarch sensed approaching danger.

“Tis coming Charly.”

“Break formation then sire.”

The monarch and his troops scattered as planned, leaving Charly and Grant to face the loathsome and revengeful mother.

As the dragon began its bombing run, the pair had nearly reached the crags when the creature spotted the danger. It unleashed balls of fire at the crags turning the pike men into human torches.

Charly and Grant were horrified as the creature swooped around and made straight for them.

Grabbing his friend by the arm, Charly fumbled inside his pocket. Grant took the egg as the enraged mother closed in for the certain kill.

Charly finally found the wretched ring and pushed it onto his finger. As the vortex opened up, they were sucked through.

Charly had not expected to collide with the tree when they both arrived, and as he lay there dazed, Grant pointed.

“Damn thing has followed us mate!”

Charly stood up angrily.

“Where the hell has the farm gone? Which idiot planted these trees?”

“Had we better warn Triad? She’ll want to know about this.”

“Come on then Grant. Let’s get to the station eh?”

The desk sergeant was filling in a number of forms when the friends ran through his door.

“We need to see the officer in charge right now,” Charly panted.

The bemused sergeant gazed at their brown woollen clothes and smiled.

“Been to a fancy dress party sir?”

Charly glared at him.

“Do you know who I am?”

“I haven’t the faintest sir.”

“Tell the officer in charge that Charly is here. Now!”

DI Holland and his colleagues were discussing the latest budget cuts, when the door opened and the sergeant popped through.

“Sorry to bother you sir. There are a pair of right nutters at my desk demanding to see you.”

The DI glanced up.

“Did they give their names?”

“One calls himself Charly sir.”

The name meant nothing to him. He was about to dismiss the officer when Peters intervened.

“He’s important sir. I’ve seen him in action. If he has returned, it means but one thing. Trouble.”

As the DI walked into the waiting area, Charly saw Peters with some relief.

“Glad to see you again mate. We have a dragon on the loose.”

The gent smiled at him.

“Hello Charly.”

“You don’t believe this? Triad would.”

As the stunned coppers looked on, Peters nodded.

“It would take that to bring you back.”

He dashed into the office and dialled the seven-digit number.

At a disused Yorkshire airbase, a tall but slim woman in a dark suit had just walked in when the phone rang.

“Hello Peters, how is Foxley?”

She paused.

“Would you slow down, the lines garbled. For a moment I thought you said dragon.”

She listened to the terrified caller.

“You did say dragon, okay. What’s that? Charly? I’m on my way. Tell that DI that Charly is in charge.”

She rushed out and shouted to a passing officer, “Assemble the team, code Alpha 1. Contact RAF strike command. I’ll talk to them as soon as we are airborne.”

The officer saluted and ran to raise the alarm.

When Peters returned to the foyer, the DI was none too pleased by the transfer of power.

“Sorry sir,” Peters warned. “Emergency powers act 1939.”

Charly beamed as events began to unfold elsewhere.
 
Ep 2

BA 244 was cruising at 24000 feet en-route from Glasgow International to Heathrow, London. A short flight of four hours, the captain was chatting to a stewardess about the onboard drinks.

Autopilot was in charge of course, as well as the ever vigilante co-pilot.

As the chatter continued a flash message from air traffic control brought everyone to an appalled silence.

“To all aircraft, special message from strike command. Be on the lookout for a dragon. Current heading north at altitude 20 thousand.”

“This must be a joke,” the captain said. “Ask for confirmation.”

The junior co-pilot put through the call and received an exasperated response.

“RAF strike command confirms hostile at 21 thousand and climbing.”

The captain glanced at the shocked stewardess. Get everyone into the crash position now. We may have to do a bit of aerobatics.”

As she ran out the co-pilot pointed.

“I see it sir, but I still can’t believe it.”

As the winged creature closed in, the captain slammed the stick forward. This action disengaged autopilot as the aircraft nosed down.

“Hang on to your pants,” the captain said calmly. “This thing has our scent.”

He threw the plane into a roll as a fireball streaked past.

Within the cabin, terrified passengers and staff screamed in terror.

“She’s gaining sir.”

“Let’s try this then.”

He hauled the stick back, sending the plane into a rapid ascent.
This manoeuvre managed to dodge an incoming fireball but the creature had now judged its next move exactly. As the port wing raised itself, a fireball smashed into the cabin section.

In the control tower, the ground link was lost forever.

Within the sleek black copter, Triad and the armed troops were tracking events by the second.

“Damn it. We lost an aircraft.”

As with all military copters, this was jet propelled and was accelerating towards its intended destination.

“I want tornadoes in the air now!” Triad barked. “To hell with prime ministerial authority mate. In this crisis I’m in charge!”

The dragon had seen the broken plane breaking into fragments and plummeting to earth, before swooping towards the ground in search of new targets.

As its keen vision pierced the thin cloud cover, it spotted the southbound train hurtling along the track. The passengers never saw the creature, even as their world disintegrated.

The two tornadoes pilots were scanning their combat acquisition system as the jets streaked towards the elusive enemy.

“Tango 1, confirm target at fifteen thousand.”

When the confirmation came back the co-pilot yelled, “I have him skipper!”

The tornadoes attacked line abreast, unleashing their lethal air-to-air missiles. The dragon detected them at once, diving earthward at a truly terrifying rate. As the missiles closed in, the creature suddenly flipped and headed skywards once more.

The weapons had never been designed to carry out such a manoeuvre and at fifty feet, streaked down before detonating with disastrous results.

Horrified onlookers saw their school go up in a sheet of brilliant yellow flame.

Overhead, the creature tracked the jets and soon closed in. Diving out of the upper clouds it unleashed ball after ball. It watched as first one, then the other plane, was scattered across the blue sky.

Within the copter, Triad held her cheeks within sweating palms.

“We seem to be losing. It’s now heading for Foxley. God help them now.”
 
Ep 3

As these events were unfolding, Charly was dictating his orders.

“First thing we do is to ensure the safety of the populace. That goes for the DI and Andrew as well. Your predecessors lost their lives because they ignored me. Don’t let it happen twice.”

“I understand,” the DI said. “What do you want?”

“Activate the siren. That at least will clear the streets.”

Holland turned to his sergeant.

“Do it!”

As shoppers crowded the sales, the sirens warbled into life.
Everyone who could remember the previous year ran for the safety of home.

As police cars raced through the streets with sirens blaring, the rest of the people stampeded in blind terror.

Within the station complex, a nervous silence had descended.

“What are our chances?” Grant asked.

Charly shook his head.

“The day of the dragon has arrived mate. That damn thing could turn Foxley into burnt mince in an instant.”

“So,” the DI said coldly. “The great Charly is stumped!”

“Of course not. Why do you think Grant is holding that ruddy egg?”

“How is that going to help?”

“I need to contact Triad now.”

He rushed to the office and got through easily.

“What’s your ETA?”

“15 minutes.”

“That might just be in time. Now please say yes to this. Is that copter of yours fitted with hellfire missiles?”

“Of course Charly. Why do you ask?”

Charly grinned and told her his plan.

Dashing back to the foyer, he took possession of the egg. He then handed the sapphire ring over to Grant.

“If I don’t come back make sure that you use it mate.”

“Of course.”

“What are you up to?” Peters asked with deep concern.

Charly gritted his teeth.

“I really don’t have time mate. I need a patrol car though.”

With the keys inside his palm, Charly dashed outside and was soon racing across town at breakneck speed. At the cross roads he slewed across the road, smashing a traffic light before veering on once more.

The cemetery soon came into view and he gunned the engine. The car hurtled toward the old Norman tower of the church and at the last moment, he slammed the brakes on.

The car slewed and stopped as he dashed out and made for the door.

Reaching the bell at last, he gazed out toward the sky.

“Come and get your damn egg!”

He held it high as the dragon scented the missing article. Little did it know that it was a not its egg. As it circled, Charly radioed the approaching copter.

“Are you ready Helen?”

“We are Charles. Make sure that you are clear first.”

“To hell with that! Fire on my command.”

He watched as the dragon swooped straight at him. Seconds passed.

“Now fire Helen!”

As two hellfire missiles streaked down, the dragon flew into their flight path. Charly threw himself from the tower, as the hellish explosion ripped the dragon and it apart.

Sorry if I missed this before.

These are your writings?

A nice addition to our pages.

enjoying!

Yes..I'm the author...Own copyright to these characters..Charly, Jerrix, etc...Enjoy...