Shadow's Rising {Wing 5} Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Brazor pumped his wings as they soared closer to the edge of the volcano’s crater. Jarid felt the heat drop away as soon as they rose above the edge. He was surprised by how quickly the air cooled, but he was even more taken aback by the sight of a great multitude of dragons hovering in the air. There were dragons of many different tribes and Jarid estimated that there had to be over three hundred of them.

On the edge of the crater, a group of Flame Wings was preparing a makeshift throne for Queen Sear. Brazor landed behind the group of dragons and made his way forward to the queen’s side just as she sat on the throne. She glanced back at him and a look of concern briefly flashed across her face when she noticed Smolder was not with them, but she quickly turned back to the approaching dragons.

Jarid could see them more clearly now. There were Storm Wings, Sand Wings, Wind Wings, and a few Flame Wings all hovering with teeth bared and claws sharpened for battle.

“We are now prepared to speak with you! Come and state your purpose here!” Queen Sear roared. 

A large Sand Wing broke from the group and approached the queen. His body looked weathered and had many small scars, his eyes were focused and unwavering even before the Flame Wing Queen. He beared his teeth slightly as he growled his response.

“I am Zircon of the Wings of Protection. Queen Sear of the Flame Wings, you should know very well why we are here! The cave where the dragonets of prophecy were hidden has been burned to the ground and their guardians killed or captured! I have been there myself. The fire was, without a doubt, that of a Flame Wing, and considering how recently your emissary learned of the location in order to inspect it, there can be only one conclusion!”

“Ha! I don’t believe in your inane prophecy! No group of pathetic dragonets could threaten my rule. I sent no emissary to the Wings of Protection. Therefore, whoever did this is both a fool and traitor,” Sear replied.

Zircon's teeth clenched but he held himself back. “Even if you are not the one who did this, we cannot let any one tribe have more influence on the dragonets than another. Otherwise, they will use them to manipulate the prophecy. For now, we will take Smolder as insurance. That way, we can trust that you are not the one who committed this atrocity.”

Jarid expected the queen to refuse. But instead, she seemed to consider their offer.

“I have no need of him anymore… However, he is old enough now to make that decision for himself. I will send for him. Should he decide to leave, you are free to do as you wish with him. But if he should decide to stay, you will have to take him by force,” she growled. “I have promised to give him a chance to prove his worth to me. Though I doubt he will succeed any time soon, I will not allow you to simply take him from my side.”

“Very well. We will not attack until we have heard Smolder’s will. However, if he refuses or does not show himself, we will assume you are trying to control all the dragonets and take him by force. Then we will search the city for the rest of them, even if we must tear it apart,” Zircon replied as he folded his muscular arms.

The Queen nodded and turned to a pair of dragons next to her.

“Wait!” Zircon called, pointing to Brazor. “Send him. He has worked with the Wings of Protection before. I trust him more than your guards.”

Queen Sear snorted in annoyance but gestured for Brazor to proceed. Brazor bowed and leapt into the air.

“So. Was that one of the more reasonable dragons in the Wings of Protection?” Jarid yelled over the wind.

“He’s not the worst, that’s for sure. But I doubt he will wait too long for us to return before attacking either. So, we should try to hurry.”

Brazor glided into the palace and rushed through a maze of hallways to a room near the end of one hall that must have been Smolder’s. The door was just a curtain and Brazor quickly swept it aside.

“Smolder! I must speak with you at once!” Brazor called as they entered.

Smolder was laying on the floor but jumped up when Brazor called for him. His eyes looked red from crying and his wings were quivering, but Jarid couldn’t tell if it was from surprise or whatever emotions he was going through.

“The Wings of Protection have come to take you away from here and her majesty has sent me to bring you to the edge of the city. She has declared that you will decide whether you wish to stay here or go with them,” Brazor explained.

“She also promised to protect you from them if you decide to stay,” Jarid added.

Smolder sat back down. Overwhelmed for a moment as he thought about what they were saying. “The Wings of Protection. I remember that you were going to have me join them some day Brazor. That it was all for the sake of some prophecy,” he muttered, almost to himself.

“Yes. They want to control the prophecy by controlling the dragons that will fulfill it. In other words, you. I’m sure they will treat you well and keep you safe. Their whole goal is to help you become the heroes of all dragon kind after all,” Brazor said gently and encouragingly.

“But I don’t want to be controlled. Not by them, and not by my mother,” Smolder growled defiantly. Brazor sighed. 

“I have every confidence you will some day. But if you choose to stay, I fear the Flame Wings won’t get off lightly,” Brazor said sadly as he led Smolder out of the room. Both of them seemed depressed but Smolder even more so.

“Hey Smolder? Is it alright if I ride with you? I will stick with you for as long as I can.” Jarid offered.

Smolder nodded and Jarid quickly climbed off of Brazor’s back and onto Smolder’s. It felt different riding him bareback after using a saddle for so long. Thankfully he had ridden bareback with Shadow since childhood, so it wasn’t so bad.

After they took off, Jarid leaned into Smolder's ear, and whispered, "You could also come back with me to the academy. I know it's not the best place, but I can protect you there and the neither the Flame Wings, nor the Wings of Protection could reach you there."

Jarid considered telling him that Queen Sear had initially suggested the idea, but thought better of it. He didn't want to make it seem like she was ordering him to do it.

Smolder didn't reply but seemed to be deep in thought. When they were about to reach the edge of the city Smolder shook himself as if coming to a decision and the purpose returned to his wingbeats. When they landed, Queen Sear called Smolder to her side and loudly reiterated her promise of protection if he chose to stay.

Smolder stepped back with a bow and stood beside Jarid. The Queen spoke to the large Sand Wing.

“My Son has arrived. No matter what he decides it will be his own decision, and I shall support him in it. However, if he leaves today, he will no longer be associated with the Flame Wing crown. He will become a Flame Wing rogue with no obligations to anyone.”

As she spoke, Smolder leaned over to Jarid and whispered to him. “Jarid, put on your riding gear and strap on the saddle.”

Jarid nodded, quickly removed his things from Brazor’s back and saddled Smolder before putting on his riding gear. He donned his helmet just as the Sand Wing introduced himself with a slight bow to Smolder.

“I am one of the leaders of the Wings of Protection. My name is Zircon. I have come to escort you to the home of the Wings of Protection. We would have you join our cause for the betterment of all dragons.”

Smolder nodded to Zircon as he spoke in Jarid’s mind. Get on Jarid. And be ready, he said, before addressing all the dragons gathered there.

“I, Smolder of the Flame Wings, am honored that you would like me to join the Wings of Protection, and I am grateful to Queen Sear for her offer of refuge. However, I refuse to allow anyone else to choose how I live my life. Therefore, I will decline your offer,” Smolder announced. He crouched down and Jarid leapt into the saddle.

“Which offer?” Zircon asked in confusion.

“Both!” Smolder roared as he leapt into the air and started flying as fast as he could in the direction of Dragon Rider Academy. Jarid got seated properly just in time and held on for dear life.

Are we just running away?! Well, I suppose there's no going back now, Jarid thought as he glanced back at the other dragons. They were still standing or hovering in stunned disbelief.

I’m taking you back to dragon rider academy. And not because of anything my mother said. This is my own decision. I’ve realized that even prison with a true friend is better than a home that only cares about my title, and I can tell the Wings of Protection are the same. They just want me for their prophecy. Besides, I promised that I’d help you get that certificate that lets you fly dragons, didn’t I? Smolder said through the mindstone with a grin.

Jarid could think of a few people that cared about him in the Flame Wing palace, but this wasn't the time to mention it. Hearing how much their friendship meant to Smolder, Jarid couldn't help but smile right back. 

But his expression quickly changed as he heard the sound of wingbeats behind them. He spun around to see who was chasing them.

Queen Sear, and her guards merely watched from their spot, but Brazor seemed to be leading the charge after Smolder, quickly followed by Zircon and the other Wings of Protection.

Jarid looked for any emotion on Queen Sear’s face. Her expression was stoic but her eyes shone with tears and her talons were clenched at her side.

However, Jarid didn’t have time to think about it much as the pursuing dragons were closing in fast. There was no way a dragonet like Smolder could out fly full grown dragons for very long. Jarid kept glancing back. Each time there was less and less distance between them. Soon Jarid could see Zircon’s chest heave with each labored breath.

Wait, what? Jarid thought as he did a double take. Now that he looked closer, he realized that all the Wings of Protection were breathing hard, and a few had stopped chasing them altogether. It was then Jarid realized that they had likely been flying all day and hadn’t stopped to rest while waiting for Smolder.

Even so, they were fully grown and fast. If even one of them caught up and grabbed Smolder before they ran out of energy, that was it. He had to slow them down somehow. As fast as he could Jarid created balls of snow and ice with magic and threw them back at Zircon and any other dragons that got too close. The first few came as a surprise and slowed them down significantly, but once they realized the snowballs weren't harming them, they took off once more with fury in their eyes.

A few of the more brazen Flame Wings among them let out streams of fire in Smolder’s direction. Thankfully, the flames were not strong enough to reach them, and even better, they were the perfect excuse for Brazor to take action.

“You, flaming IDIOTS!” Brazor roared as he slammed into the dragons who had breathed fire. “That is a dragonet of prophecy! How dare you try to harm him!” he roared again as he slammed into any dragon he thought might attack. In other words, all the dragons closest to Smolder.

The leading dragons were able to push past him, but it took a lot of energy and more of them started dropping out of the chase. At last, even Zircon roared in frustration, which came out more like a wheeze, as he was forced to give up the chase.

“Ha, ha! We’re home free now!” Smolder whooped with excitement.

Jarid cringed, expecting something to go terribly wrong in the next three seconds, but nothing did. Their journey continued smoothly until they were well into human territory. They each shared their experiences during their time in the Flame Wing capital. Jarid skipped over a lot of the more personal things. By then, they had reached the edge of the mountains and Smolder took a break to drink and eat a few of the supplies Brazor had packed in Jarid's saddle. 

After that, they flew through the mountains until Dragon Rider Academy came into view. When he saw it, Jarid asked Smolder to land at the bottom of a nearby valley.

“What’s wrong?” Smolder asked as he landed. Jarid hopped off and removed Queen Sear’s gift from his bag.

“Is that a treasure from the Queen’s vault?!” Smolder cried in shock.

“Yes. Now, shush. I don’t want anyone at the academy finding these. But that isn’t the only reason I wanted to stop here,” Jarid said as he hid the expensive accessories under an easily identifiable rock. He then took off his helmet and looked up into Smolder’s eyes.

“I wanted to make sure you want to return to the academy with me. You could just drop me off here and live freely however you wish until it is safe. I could even provide you with any food you need. Because… if you come back with me, I can’t guarantee they won’t lock you up again. I am grateful for your help, but I don’t want you to lose your freedom again for my sake.”

Jarid searched Smolder’s eyes for any signs of hesitation. He didn’t want to go back on his own, but he didn’t want to see Smolder get hurt even more.

Smolder leaned down so his eyes were level with Jarid’s and replied in a serious tone, “Jarid. We made a deal, and you upheld your end of our bargain. Even if you are a human, that doesn’t mean I can break my word. I decided to let you be my rider until you achieved your goal. How could I ever face my mother again if I break my word? Or even worse, if I abandon a friend?”

Jarid smiled as he felt himself tear up slightly. “I think that’s the first time you’ve truly called me your friend Smolder,” he said softly.

Smolder sat back up with a snort and looked away embarrassed. “More like acceptable human. I just don’t hate you as much as everyone else.”

Jarid chuckled to himself. Good old Smolder. Can’t even admit that we’re friends. I might have been more concerned if he got all sappy on me. Though I do hope some day he can proudly call me a close friend.

“Alright mister high and mighty dragonet. I suppose we can both tolerate each other for the remainder of the year,” Jarid said with a smile as he climbed onto Smolder’s back.

“I suppose so,” Smolder chuckled back as he leapt back into the air.

Jarid wasn’t sure what to expect upon his return to the academy, but he was not expecting to be rushed off to Commander Valdur’s office the moment he landed in front of the academy gate.

Valdur informed him that his equipment would be taken care of, and his dragon fed and watered, while he reported everything that had happened.

Jarid knew that he would have to leave out quite a few things in order to avoid revealing more about himself than he already had. In the end, he shared a quick summery detailing how he snuck into the temple by bribing a few dragons with the jewels he had been given, found the dragon born of flame and was cured. Then snuck back out of the dragon city with the aid of the dragon born of flame before making his way to the academy

Commander Valdur was generous enough to accept a summery for now with the promise of a more detailed explanation in the future.

“I suggest you get some rest. The journey must have been hard on both your mind and body. Your squad leader has been informed of your return and your flight is awaiting you in your dormitory. You are dismissed.”

“Thank you, sir!” Jarid saluted smartly as he turned and exited the office.

As he made his way towards the Black Squad dorm, he felt an odd sense of nostalgia while looking around at the academy. He was hit by an even stronger feeling as he came up to the dorm itself. In a way, it felt like coming home. This was the first place that really accepted him. Where he had… friends? Comrades? No. Family.

It felt like Shadow had been his only family for a long time, though his father had started to open up a bit. Jarid smiled to himself as he wondered where Shadow was now. Probably bored out of his mind waiting for him to come home, Jarid thought with a smile.

As Jarid reached for the handle he felt his fingers tingle. He didn’t know why he felt so nervous. It had only been a few months after all.

Taking a deep breath, Jarid opened the door.

The familiar oak wood of the dorm creaked as he entered. The interior lit by the same chandelier he remembered. His friends were sitting on the couches near the entrance and quickly stood when he walked in.

“Flight Leader Drakoulis has returned, sir!” Ben called up the stairs as the rest of Black Squad came to attention.

Jarid snapped to attention and saluted as Gunther descended the stairs. Gunther came up to him and returned the salute.

“Welcome back Flight Leader Drakoulis. You can save your report for the morning. For now, get your room sorted and items from your trip stored properly. It will be right back to training and classes tomorrow and you have a lot to catch up on after your little vacation to the hot springs.”

“Yes sir!”

“Good. At ease, dragon rider. You’ve done us proud. Have a good rest tonight,” Gunther replied with a small smile as he turned to head back up to his office.

As soon as he had gone down the hall Jarid felt a soft impact as Felica hugged him tight.

“We were so worried about you!” She cried.

“Eh, I knew you’d pull through,” Steven said while giving Jarid a fist bump.

Ben and Ethen gave Jarid firm handshakes and welcomed him back, but someone was missing.

“Where is Airel? Is she training or something?” Jarid asked with a joking smile.

A somber look came over everyone as they looked at each other awkwardly.

“Airel is waiting for you in her room. She has something she needs to tell you,” Ben said as he placed a comforting hand on Jarid’s shoulder.

Jarid couldn’t deny the ominous wave of dread that washed over him as Ben said those words. He couldn’t imagine what had happened, but it couldn’t be good.

As he walked up the stairs, he glanced back to find the others watching him without moving or speaking. The hall seemed unusually long and dark. Every creak of the floorboards under his feet sent shivers up his spine, and even the air itself had an ethereal chill.

When he finally made it to the door and knocked a horse feminine voice answered. “You may enter.”

“Airel? I have returned. The others said you wanted to speak with me. Is something wrong?” Jarid asked as he entered.

As soon as he did the answer became obvious. The normally rigidly tidy room was in shambles. Clothes littered the floor along with discarded paper and even a few broken pens and bits of trash. Airel herself hardly looked any better. Her hair was messy, and her clothes wrinkled. Her hands were bloody and bruised. She had dark circles under her red eyes and an expression of such sorrow that it stopped Jarid as if she had punched him.

“Yes… I… I did something. Something terrible,” she whispered. She looked up at Jarid. Her eyes welled with tears they had long since tired of shedding.

“I’m sorry. It was all my fault.”