19

Secret of a Broken
Warrior

Chapter one,
Capture!
I, Sheera Fox, had finally managed to get myself caught! It had been a usual
day in Malmor’s main city, Kingston with the normal inspections and
soldiers all over the place. But I, in my curiosity, was now a prisoner of the
king of Malmor. Now I stood in front of Prince Vladimir as he hammered
me with questions.
“Who arth thee?” he finally asked, his voice getting an edge to it which
portrayed that he was not going to keep his calm much longer.
“Sheera Fox an’ I have nothin' else ta’ say ta' ye.” I retorted, masking my
voice with the accent of that of a traveling merchant.
He glared at me in curiosity, “doth ye happen to know King Acheron?”
I narrowed my golden eyes in interest, the name seemed to prick at a
memory buried in my mind someplace, but I couldn’t quite grasp it. I
couldn’t seem to grasp anything was the truth, it was as if my memory had
been erased leaving nothing but a feeling of searching emptiness. The
meaning of my very existence, even to myself, was unknown really. I had
no idea where I had come from or who I was, just that I lived in Malmor
hiding because of my secret. I shrugged and murmured, “I canst nay recall
someone by that name.”

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Vladimir sighed, “if ye wouldeth have it like that then very well.” he paused
then burst out before I had a chance to process it, “remove her cape,
guard!”
The guard, a tall man with dark brown hair and clad in armor, stepped
forward and ripped the tattered brown cloak from my shoulders. I fell with
a wince as my palms hit the polished stone floor painfully. My large black
dragon wings were now fully exposed, and I unsheathed my claws
instinctively. Prince Vladimir didn’t look surprised and just laughed, “so
thee arth the Dragon blood that King Acheron lost so many years ago?”
I narrowed my eyebrows in confusion, though I seemed to recall something
about the name it still sent shivers down my spine. “I know not of whom ye
speak.”
“Of course, ye don’t little princess, I had thy memory erased.” he replied,
sounding as if he was explaining something very patiently to a young child.
I growled under my breath but kept silent as he continued, “guard, put her
on the next ship to Deadwater. Tell Captain Drake that we hath found his
sister.”
The guard nodded and grabbed my arm in a vise-like grip. One of the other
guards put a chain over my wings, keeping them painfully close to my back.
I could only be thankful that my arms where free. The first guard jerked me
toward the doors but I resisted. He pulled sharply and I fell toward him. I
growled and raked my claws across his chain-mailed forearm. He leapt back
in surprise but recovered quickly and grabbed for my arm again. but I was
quicker and shot down the hall as fast as my feet would carry me. I
rounded a corner and stopped in confusion. The prince's castle was like a
big maze of rooms and halls and guards. I gulped, realizing that there was
no way I could find my way out without either getting caught by the guard
that was chasing me and most likely knew his way around or running into
one of the many others that stood sentry around the doors of the castle. I
felt like giving up but knew I had to try. There was no way I wanted to be
sent to King Acheron, something about the thought of him was spine-
chilling and I didn't want to stick around and find out what he was like face
to face. I did a full whirl and randomly picked one of the halls to dash
down. My booted feet sent resounding echoes bouncing off the walls as
they hit the smooth tile floor. I chanced a glance over my shoulder and saw
the guard thundering after me with a few others hot on his heels. My
breath came out in ragged gasps as I dashed along the hallways and

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dodged corners. In my eyes it was indeed impending doom but for some
reason something urged me to fight to the last breath in everything. The
phrase “a warriors spirit” came to my mind though I didn’t remember ever
hearing the term. The sound of a guard drawing his sword sounded behind
me and I instinctively dropped, sliding across the ground. Time seemed to
slow as the long sword slashed through the air in front of my vision. Then I
was up and running again. An arrow zipped over my head and I ducked
down rounding another corner. My golden eyes blazed as I gave it my all.
But no one can run forever and eventually I had to stop, knowing it was
pointless to keep going but still wishing I could. I figured I must have been
somewhere on one of the castle’s higher floors seeing as I still hadn’t found
the door. My limbs burned from the effort and an arrow had managed to
bury itself in my shin. In winced as I pulled it out and threw it to the side,
my eyes darting around in search of a way out. But there was none. The
only other doorways were one and it looked as if it led into a room. I
glanced sharply behind me again as the sound of pounding feet reached my
ears. I dashed into the room without another thought, slamming the door
behind me. I cast a hurried glance around the large room and saw what I
was looking for. A window. I ran over to it and looked out. The city of
Kingston could be seen below and I knew that there was no way I could get
down. The room I was in had to have been part of one of the high, looming
towers for the ground was quite far below and I had a large view of what
was beneath me. The forest off too my side looked small and simple
though I knew it was not. I wondered briefly if Riverglow was watching me
from the trees. It reminded me of when I had found her. I didn’t remember
much but I could recall the day that it had all happened. It had been the
beginning of my life really, seeing as I didn’t remember anything before
that day. I had suddenly woken from sleep I guess I’d call it and found
myself in the biggest city of Malmor. I must have wandered into the woods
because suddenly I was surrounded by trees and I hadn’t known my way
out. But then I had seen her, Riverglow. She must have been shot down by
the archers that guarded the wall top of Kingston's city wall for she had
quite a few arrows buried in her flank. She was just laying in the woods not
moving much at all. I was frightened at first, having never seen a dragon
before, at least not in what I remembered. But when I approached her out
of curiosity she lifted her head and murmured one word before falling
unconscious, “Sheera.” That is how I became of my name in fact, though I
thought it was just some word that she knew not realizing that she meant
more by it then I understood. But she intrigued me with her large scaled

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body of shimmering blue and her large leathery wings along with her long
elegant neck and bright eyes that shone like the sun reflecting off of water
when they were open. So somehow, even though I didn’t remember
anything, I knew somewhat of what to do and pulled the arrows from her
side before covering her wounds with some scraps of cloth that I ripped
from my ragged cloak. She had trusted and protected me ever since. And I
her. I couldn’t help wondering what she would do if she saw me being
taken to the ship when they caught me, which was undoubted. Thundering
footsteps sounded just outside the door, bringing me back to the present. I
crossed the room, hurriedly throwing a few pieces of furniture in front of
the entrance. The soldiers outside started banging on the door and some
one yelled for them to bring a battering ram, or at least something to use
that resembled one. My shoulders slumped, I was done. I had given it
everything I could and now I was trapped in a room with one window that
was to high to jump from and my wings were tied. I could call Riverglow
and then jump onto her back from the window ledge, I thought. But no, I
couldn’t endanger her like that. My only hope would be to fight my way
through the soldiers but that was impossible. Maybe it was time to give in.
There was nothing left to do, nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. But I
had always known that I had no chance, the only thing that had made me
keep running was my will to fight to the end. But now it was time to give in,
and that was okay. Everything seemed to go on in dreamy slowness as the
guards broke the door open and rushed upon me. One of them hit me
across the head as I reached for my sword and I slumped, unconscious, to
the floor.

* * *
I gained consciousness to a throbbing pain that spread through my entire
head. I was in a sort of cabin but it felt different and it had a strange
rocking sensation that I didn’t recognize, though it felt almost familiar. It
was sparsely furnished, only containing a table and a chair along with one
empty chest. I put a hand to my head and got up, unsteady at first but
gaining balance eventually. I heard a commotion going on outside the cabin
and tried the door. Locked, no surprise there of course. A small window-
like opening was visible in the far corner of the wall. I tried to unfurl my
wings but they were tied closely and somewhat painfully to my back. I
winced and pulled the chair across the room and stood on top of that. That
added height brought me up higher but not high enough. I unsheathed my

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claws and dug them into the wooden wall of the cabin. This enabled me to
pull myself up and see out the window, which was really just an opening
with a few boards across at a crisscross angle, making them overlap each
other. Though it wasn’t the windows uniqueness that drew my attention
but what was going on outside of it. My breath caught in my throat when I
saw what the commotion was. It was a dragon flying around a ship, the
ship that I was on, and attacking against the fact that she was out
numbered, my dragon. Riverglow. I knew she had no chance and so did
she, yet she fought on trying to rescue me, a mere peasant! This touched
me deeply and I wiped a tear from my cheek where it had run after
escaping my golden yellow eyes. I had, in the short amount of my life that I
remembered, never been cared for in such a way or felt such a feeling of
being loved. Yet it all seemed as if it would be a waste for Riverglow could
give her life for me and still I could not escape the treacherous chains that
held me aboard the forsaken Malmorian ship. It was clear that she would
fall. She was out numbered and even though she was a water dragon the
men in the ships had strong arrows and quick shooting bows which was
relevant by the few that had made their way home and were now
protruding from Riverglow's scaled side. They also had a few spears that
they would throw at her every time she came close, yet she wouldn’t stop
trying to save me even though we both knew it was impossible. I could only
watch as one of the soldier’s spears found its mark and my dragon and
friend fell with a dull and heavy thump onto the ship’s deck. Tears
streamed down my face unbidden as the king’s men chained her up and
dragged her below deck to be thrown with the storage as if she were
nothing more. I had a horrible feeling that I should have tried to help her
but there was nothing I could have done, was there? Maybe I could have
saved her? No, I couldn’t have done a thing. Yet the feeling of guilt kept
nagging at me and I knew I would live with it until I had saved my dragon. I
sagged in the chair and sobbed all the tears that I had held back. It seemed
like nothing in my life went right. I had been stripped of my memory, my
freedom and now my dragon. Without memory what was I? Without
freedom how could I survive? Without my dragon would the only thing I
ever felt be guilt? It was to much to put on a young girl like me. But I knew
deep inside that I had to suck it up, these thoughts would only keep me
down and broken which was what the soldiers, and whoever else I would
be put under charge of at this place called “Deadwater” would want. I
sniffed and tried to think of happy thoughts. It seemed useless for all my
memory contained was running from guards, hiding at night all alone,

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wishing for a friend to talk to and being… alone. That cold, lonely word I
knew so well. The only happy thing I had encountered was the day I had
found Riverglow. I couldn’t help wondering what had happened in the life I
had lived before I lost my memory. Had I had a family who was missing me
right now? I remembered the one time I had seen a family in the city of
Kingston, it had quite fascinated me really. The way the young girls mother
had cared for her, the way her brother had lead her about with his hand in
hers and the way her father had stood over her like a protective warrior
whenever a slaver had passed by. Slavers being common in Malmor. The
way the brother and sister had acted around each other had both puzzled
me and almost seemed to prick at something in my memory. Now as I sat
alone in the dark cabin in a ship sailing across the sea to a place that was
scary and far away from anything and everything I had ever known a
memory seemed to suddenly reach me from the forgotten spaces of my
mind. A boy leaned over me with one arm behind his back and the other
reaching out toward me. His eyes twinkled playfully and a goofy smile gave
his face a look that made me feel almost like I was… not alone. I reached
for his hand and the memory disappeared almost as fast as it had come,
leaving me with that same old feeling of emptiness. Who had that boy
been? Had it been a glimpse of my old life? It was just to much, not
knowing what or who I had been. But now as my whole life was falling
apart a glimmer of hope like a spark in a dark forest brought light into my
lonely world. The world faded with these thoughts as I fell into the only
thing that I found peace in, sleep.
I burst from slumber as the door to my cabin was forced open and a guard
stepped in, a spear in his hand. Two others followed him in and grabbed
me, half pulling half carrying me across the ship's deck and onto a large
dock. I looked up and gazed around in awe. “Deadwater” turned out to be
an island in the middle of the sea. A narrow road lead up and off into the
distant mountains where I could just see the tops of the towers and
terraces of a castle.
The guard pushed me to the ground with a hard shove and said, “bow
before captain Drake, peasant!”
I sneered, showing my fangs though they were hidden under my bowed
head. A tall youth dismounted a horse and nodded to the guard before
looking at me and saying, “What hath Prince Vladimir senteth me now?”

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“He said to tell thee that he hath found thy sister,” the guard said, taking a
step away from me.
The captain, Drake apparently, snarled angrily “I doth nay have a sister!”
He spat with such malice that the guards stepped back with fear sparking in
their eyes.
I stood, sick of being shoved around, and looked at Drake with pleading
eyes, “please just let me go, I think the Prince hath mixed me up with
someone else.”
A hint of recognition almost seemed to enter Drake's stone cold eyes but if
it did, it quickly vanished. He looked at me with interest, his eyes flitting to
my wings and he nodded to one of his own guards, “take her to the castle,
the king wilt wish to see her.”
My heart sank and I dreaded the thought of seeing the king though it was
unavoidable. One of the captain’s guard grabbed me and pushed me
toward Drake. He put a strange purplish chain around my hands and
mounted his horse. I couldn’t help noticing how the purple chain seemed
to almost burn him as it did me. A stinging burn that sent shivers of agony
up my arms, I hoped they wouldn’t leave them on my hands for long for it
felt like the pain would travel up my arm and envelop me in its cold
torment. One of the guards shoved me forward and we followed the black
horse that was trotting at an even pace in front of us. I tried to look behind
me and thought I caught a glimpse of Riverglow as they unloaded her from
the ship. Where would they take her? I could only guess. I just hoped that
they wouldn’t kill her. My spark of hope was doused at that thought.
Before to long we arrived at the castle and Drake gave the reins of his
horse to a servant before he walked through the big double pine doors as
they were opened by a guard. I couldn’t help noticing that the guards of
Deadwater were clad in different armor then those of Malmor.
“Take her to the dungeons,” Drake said before gliding neatly off around a
corner and down another hallway.
Something about the way he walked interested me. His long sweeping gait
or perhaps the way he held one arm behind his back and the other at his
side as he walked. But something was missing and that alone stopped the
familiarity from being anything other then that. The guards pushed me
roughly and I sped up. Finally we came to an old wooden door, a guard
stood at its entrance and he opened it when we came into sight. We

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continued with the guards pushing me in front of them. We passed through

rows of cages, some were vacant but others held… dragons! The dungeon
had a hopeless and lost feel in the air and I shivered suddenly feeling very
cold. Each cage had a small window vent, small but enough to let in the
chilly air of the nearing winter. The guard in front stopped at a lonely cage
and opened it with the keys that hung from his belt before shoving me into
the barred area. I frowned with a sad look on my face and crouched on my
knees, trying to think of what to do. Coldness crept through the floor and
into my body. I shivered. But eventually tiredness overcame me after all I
had been through, and I fell asleep. Dreams filled my usually empty
slumber and soon I found myself lost in the vast thought filled alleys of
sleep.
Darkness surrounded me. I called out but nobody answered. I stumbled
forward trying to find light or something in the dark void. I slipped falling,
feeling my body hurl over an edge. I grabbed, fearfully for anything to stop
my decent. Then something grasped my hand and pulled me up. Glowing
eyes met mine in the darkness. I realized my own eyes had no glow. A voice
murmured softly in my ear “be strong, sister, don’t let the dragon take ye
to his side.” It sounded like a boy. He whispered two last words before
letting go of my hand “find me” I fell into the dark void.

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Chapter two, Rolf

Rolf stared out across the sea, a bold and daring look in his red dragon eye.
His shaggy dark brown hair was full of dirt and sticks and he dragged a
hand through it carelessly. He pulled his hand free with a flash of
annoyance in his eyes as his claws, which were more like talons, caught. He
was adorned in a elegant, to elegantly for his position, black leather tunic
with a long dark blue cloak that had a silver edging and thin black leather
pants. He shifted, shuffling his feet on the long pine branch on which he
was perched. His black leather boots felt hot as they were heated up in the
cold summer sun that was weak but noticeable. He slipped on some dark
gloves and reached for the black hilt of his sword instinctively. His hand
brushed against the shining red pommel stone and he glanced at it,
remembering when he had received the sword. It had been in the better
days when he had lived in the castle with his father, older brother and twin
sister. If only he had known life would go so wrong he would have
cherished those moments. His sister’s shimmering eyes had long since
faded from memory and his brother's voice was but a mere thought. He
didn’t remember much at all, but he would never forget when he had been
given the sword that was now in its sheath on his belt. It had been a gift
from his brother, the only gift from his brother, before his memory had
been wiped and he had turned evil. He remembered sitting on one of the
cliffs that stood above the castle, he had raced his brother there and when
they reached the top he had pulled the sword in its sheaths from where it
had been hidden beneath his cloak. He had handed it to Rolf and said, “I

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want thee to have this, dear brother, mayhaps it will help thee in a time of
need.” That’s all he had said and Rolf hadn’t quite understood the meaning
of those dark words until their mother had died and their father had
suddenly turned strange and horrible, ordering both the brother's
memories to be erased. Rolf had run after his brother came back with no
thought and no recognition. It had been devastating for Rolf and he had
just ran, leaving his sister there. He hadn’t realized that his father would go
so far as to erase his sisters memory too and when they did it had broken
Rolf. But he had gone back nonetheless and saved his sister before they
could do anything else. After he had sent her away to the last place they
would look he had run, again. After he found the island he had quit running
and stayed under the shadow of Deadwater.
The leathery flap of wings beneath him startled Rolf out of his thoughts
and he jumped from the tree. For a few moments he was in the slow
dreamy existence of a free-fall. Then he landed on the back of a
shimmering green and black dragon, settling neatly into the saddle
position, on her shoulders just in front of her wing joints. She turned her
long elegantly arching neck to look at him and smiled one of her big toothy
grins. Her bright green eyes danced with mischievous recklessness and she
started flying upward with strong flaps of her large glistening emerald
green and black wings. She reached the clouds and Rolf grabbed the simple
silver, emerald studded, collar that adorned her neck. She suddenly
stopped flapping and fell, twirling through the air with the force of the
wind. Then she was upside down and Rolf grinned, enjoying every minute
of it. She flew above the clouds and slowed to a peaceful pace, flapping her
wings once every little bit to stay level. Rolf smiled and lay back with a sigh
as the sky and clouds around them were draped in the bright painted
colors of sunset. The wispy clouds turned to soft pink, light magenta and
darker blues as they flew up. Emeralda’s wings seemed to almost soak up
the light and they started glowing softly as the sun began sinking beneath
the clouds. She turned and dived, tucking her wings against her body and
the wind rushed last them. The clouds flew past and Emeralda unfurled her
wings, catching the wind and soaring again. The sky was blazing color and
Rolf breathed deeply, contented. The sun shone bright orange even as it
sunk and the sky around it was flaming oranges, solemn yellows and
different shades of blue.
“Could thee asketh for more?” Rolf asked.

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Emeralda shook her head, “flight is a dragons most valued ability.”

She flew back toward the island, angling her wings and turning gracefully.
Once back on the small isle Emeralda settled into a landing and came to a
stop on the ground in front of the mouth of a small cave. The mouth was
actually more like a hole that lead to an under ground cavern. Rolf
dismounted and looked at the sky fervently. The sun was just sinking over
the horizon and the sea was draped in the dim light of dusk. His eyes
started glowing a soft red and he entered the cave, sliding down through
the hole. Emeralda followed him, the green patches on her long scaled
body glowing in the darkness of the cave. Red eyes met Rolf's and another
dragon emerged from the shadows. His long body was black with patches
of red which glowed. He dipped his head to Rolf and left the cave without a
word. Rolf glanced at Emeralda and she blew a stream of flames onto a pile
of dry sticks that lay in the center of the cave. It ignited with a whoosh and
Rolf sat, his eyes flickering in the dancing firelight. Nightmare, a dwarf
dragon that had taken a liking to Rolf, grinned and curled up on Rolf's lap.
Rolf stroked the little dragon's scales and sighed. Even if his sister had
forgotten him, his brother thought he was an enemy and his father had
thrown him out, he could still be content with the dragons he had and the
life he did live, even if it lacked so many things.

* * *
Rolf walked out of the cave, his red eyes shining with the thought of a new
day. One he had the chance of living. He stepped smartly to the side as
Emeralda hurled herself from the cave in an attempt to pin him. She landed
in the dirt with a grunt of disgust.
Rolf grinned “thought thee could pin me?” he asked, letting mockery into
his tone.
She growled and leaped again. This time she caught his leg and he fell to
the ground. Her dragon features turned into a grin. He growled as he got
up wiping dirt and dead leaves from his black leather tunic.
She laughed “got ye.”
“Ya, Ya, ye got me.” He sighed, sitting down on a stump and stared up into
the sky.
“ye’ve been sighing a lot lately” Emeralda commented.

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Rolf just shrugged and got up. “Come on, Emeralda, we need to restock the
stores with the few supplies that are on the island.”
She got up and followed him to the edge of the water. She peered down
into the depths. Rolf watched her, his red eyes flickering in the water's
wavy light. She pounced into the water sending a spray, and soaking Rolf.
He growled jumping up. Glaring at Emeralda as she swam around looking
for fish, he tried wiping the water off his leather tunic and trousers. He
took off his leather boots and emptied them of the water. Emeralda
climbed out of the lake with a single fish in her jaws. He growled at her. She
grinned.
“I got ye good that time, didn’t I?” she said through the fish her jaws,
laughter in her voice.
“Ya, help me dry up. . . But do not fry me with fire please!” he added
quickly
“Ok, fine.” she stood in front of him.
He ran up her tail and sat on her shoulders. She carried him to the cave,
and he jumped off her back and down the entrance. He left a trail of water
behind him as he headed toward the fireplace, which was really just a circle
of stones near the far wall.
“I'm getting low on wood.” he commented to no one in particular.
Darkfin approached him and lay down beside him, his red scales glowing
warmly. Rolf sighed.
“Can ye start a fire?” he asked.
Darkfin said nothing but blew a torrent of red flames into the fireplace. It lit
up immediately and Darkfin laid his head down again.
Rolf reached slowly out and lay his hand on the big dragon's head. He only
opened one eye lazily and peered at Rolf. He smiled and trailed his hands
along the dragon's scales. Rolf warmed himself by the fire as Emeralda
brought him the fish she had caught. He glanced thankfully at her and bit
into it. The warm blood hit his throat and he gave a dragon-like gurgle of
pleasure.
“Are there others like thee?” Darkfin asked. His voice was deep and
sounded like thunder echoing in the cave.

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Rolf looked up at the dragon surprised. This was the first time he had
spoken. “Yes, my sister, and my brother slightly, other than that I don't
know.”
“Slightly?”
“Well, he only has the eyes and I think he might be able to tell if someone's
lying or not.” he shrugged.
Darkfin just grunted, nodding as his heavily hooded gaze wandered around
the cave. Rolf was about to ask him about his past, but he got up and
walked away toward Emeralda. Rolf shrugged again and lay back, the
warmth of the fore lulling his thoughts.
* * *
Rolf awoke and slid off of Emeralda's back. She was sleeping contentedly.
He walked into the main room of the cave. Darkfin was not there and only
Nightmare lay in a ball by the dying fire. Rolf unsheathed his claws and
climbed up the hole out of the cave. Warm sunlight hit his face and he
gasped. Pain seared in his eyes, and everything was a blinding light. He
blinked and pulled himself blindly out of the hole. Slowly it went away but
a painful headache was left in its place. He put his hand to his head and
stumbled toward the shade of the trees. Once he entered the thick cover
of branches it went away slightly but still left a throbbing. He grunted in
agony and began gathering sticks for the fire. He gathered an armload and
headed back. He stepped slowly out of the cover of the trees. This time the
pain was only slight. He continued and climbed down into the cave. Relief
washed over him as the throbbing went slightly away. He sat down by
Nightmare after throwing the sticks by the fireplace in a pile.
Emeralda laughed “thee went out into the sun to soon, did ye?”
“Ya.” He blinked several times and lay on his back with his hands behind his
head.
“Ye'll get used to not being able to go out too early” she went on, her
pretty voice holding a hint of teasing.
“Oh really?”
“Yup.”
“And how did this happen?”
“Oh, well methinks it's because ye are with two dragons now”

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“Three.” Nightmare interrupted.

“Well, yes, but two big dragons, and it has made thy dragon blood come
out more.”
“Oh, well I hope I don’t get wings.”
“I don’t think ye will. . .for now.”
“Ye don’t sound too sure.” he got up and stretched, yawning.
She shrugged and looked around, “where is Darkfin?”
“I don’t know, I haven't seen him.” Rolf walked to the entrance and
unsheathed his claws.
Nightmare smirked as a load of fish landed on Rolf. He got up wiping fish
goo from his tunic. He looked up to see Darkfin peering at him.
He gave Emeralda a sideways glance “I thought thee couldn’t go out in the
sun right away.”
“Depends. . .Haha. . .on the. . .Hehe. . .time.” she said through laughs.
“And the dragon.” Rolf muttered flapping his hand at Emeralda and sending
gooey droplets on her.
She grunted shaking her head to get it off her nose. Nightmare was on the
ground laughing uproariously. Rolf frowned at him bad-temperedly. He
stopped, getting up.
He grinned innocently and walked off grumbling under his breath “can't I
laugh, ever?”
Rolf growled as he climbed up the wall and out of the cave. The bright sun
hit his face, but he kept his hood over his eyes to protect them. He sighed
and headed into the woods.

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Chapter three,
Time
It had been days, or perhaps weeks. I didn’t know anymore. Though I
figured it had been at least a few days. So far nothing had happened, as if I
had been conveniently forgotten. Perhaps I had, they hadn’t even taken
the burning purple chain off of my hands which was not as nice seeing as it
hurt. My gaze shifted to the long row of cells on either side of me. The
other dragons looked just as I did, alone and forgotten. I sighed, either that
or they were waiting to be used. Used for what, I had no idea but I knew it
wasn’t good. I peered through the darkness of the dungeon corridor and
my shoulders slumped when I saw the captain headed towards me. He had
something at his side and as he drew closer I was able to make out a
sword. My sword. He carried it by its handle, next to the other two that he
had in their sheaths on his belt. I looked away as he approached my cell. He
sighed and held the sword up, half unsheathing it.
“This twas found with ye whenst thou wer’t captured…” he paused then
asked, “tis it thine?”
Peace

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I slowly rose to a sitting position. I winced and slumped back down for the
chains on my wings sent pain shooting down my back, and through my
limbs, and it made me feel suddenly weak. I looked around me. A plain
stone wall was at the back, with iron bars going from it and in a square to
form a cage. The row of cages seemed to run on forever! I wondered how I
was supposed to speed up the time. The small grate like window aloud cold
to seep into the cell. I shivered. I looked through the bars and down the
corridor. Nothing, just the never-ending line of cages with dragons. A cold
feeling of dread made me as I noticed Drake and some of his soldiers were
headed toward me. I gulped. Drake looked at me and held up the keys. He
unlocked my cage and grabbed me. I was too weak to fight back, so I just
let him lead me.
“The king wants to see ye.” he smirked, evilly.
“Fine.” I grunted and leaned heavily against him.
My legs wanted to buckle as we went up the stone steps that led out of the
dungeon, and I felt as if I could not go any farther. Finally, the guards
opened two big double doors and Drake pushed me away from him. I was a
bit surprised he had allowed me to lean on him. Maybe perhaps he wasn t
all that bad. But no, he seemed to...heartless and cold. If he acted nice to
me, it was a trick to get me to come over to his side. I looked around me as
we entered. A huge throne was at the end of a long carpet. Big windows
were all around and the roof arched high over my head. Soldiers lined the
two walls at the side, ready if someone should attack the king.
Drake bowed “I brought her, sir” he took a step back.
“So, thou art the ugly king that I have heard so much about” I said, rudely.

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And I realized, in my opinion, it was true. The king's face had a cruel sunken
look, and his eyes were pitiless. His choice of clothing was long ‘royal’ robes
and the only nice part about him was the crown. Of course, if anyone else
became king when he died, I'm sure he would want a different one to be
made. It was gold and adorned with emeralds, and very dirty. The king
seemed as if he didn’t take much care to keep himself presentable.
His eyes darkened at my comment “Drake!” he yelled.
“Yes, sir?” Drake answered, his eyes almost seemed to have a look of dread
in them.
“If this one is going to serve me, she needs a lesson of respect!” His voice
was squeaky with rage.
“I think ye got something wrong; by my troth I will never serve someone so
ugly as thee, I could not, it would cause me to faint at thy stench.” I made
my voice sound like that of a delicate princess.
Drake sniggered and was silenced by the king's glare.
“Take her to the dungeons, after thee have whipped her!” he practically
howled.
“Yes, thy stupid majesty.” I couldn’t help calling over my shoulder as Drake
pushed me, once again, toward the dungeons.
Drake shoved me down the steps. I stumbled slipping on the smooth rock.
He caught me and helped me down to the bottom. I looked at him, that
was probably the first time he had done anything even close to laughing, in
all the life he could remember. His eyes were a strange color, almost blue
mixed with a slight orange. I wondered what colors meant what.
“Thou are not going to whip me?” I asked as he unlocked my cell door.
“I can't.” he shrugged.
“Why not?” I asked.
“Tou art my sister, I can't harm thee...”
“But ye already have by putting these blasted chains on my wings, can't ye
see?”
“Ya...er...no.”

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“I'm losing my power, my eyes hardy have any glow and I feel so weak, I
can't even stand on my own!”
“Ye can.” He pushed me away from him. I collapsed unable to hold myself
upright.
“See?”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me up. I groaned as my wings hit the metal
bars. Piercing pain shot down my wings and into my body.
He steadied me as I fell against him. “I can’t help ye; the king would have
me...” he didn’t finish, he didn’t need to, I knew what he meant.
“Can ye at least treat me like I'm actually thy sister?” I asked longingly.
He said nothing but sighed and removed the chains.
I gave a gasp as the agony slowly ebbed. “Gramercy...brother.” I hugged
him.
Drake grimaced and pushed me away. He shoved me into the cell wincing. I
frowned.
“Are ye okay?”
“Ya...” he locked the door and walked off.
I grinned and held up the silver keys, I had grabbed them from his pocket
when I hugged him. He had another pair so he would never notice.
Morning dawned and with-it new hope. Hope of being free. Soldiers
Walked past off and on. I frowned realizing that with soldiers passing so
often I wouldn't be able to use the keys and escape.
The days passed and soldiers kept walking past I wondered if Drake had
realized that I had stolen his second pair of keys. I sighed; it would be a
long cold winter. The days passed and the snow fell. Winter came and the
snow drifts came through the small, grated window. As the days passed, I
tried communicating with the big dragon in the cell next to the one next to
me. But it seemed he was going back over to the deathly state that he had
been in before. I growled under my breath; how could anyone do
something like that to a dragon? I answered for myself, Drake.
* * *
Drake bowed to the king preparing for a punishment. He winced for the
king's voice was squeaky with anger.

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“Ye don’t understand do ye, Captain?”

“Sir, I can't understand when it is not clear what ye speak of.” Drake said
his eyes glinting a strange blackish color.
“Sheera, that that girl.” he sputtered.
“Sir, I understand what thee want done with her, what don’t I
understand?” Drake tried to pick his words carefully, for the king's temper
could go from rebuke to raging mad.
“Ye treat her like thy sister, don’t ye?”
“She is my sister, sir.” Drake’s eyes were dull, almost black.
“How do ye know that?!” the king almost shrieked anger in his voice.
“I remember more than ye know about my past.” Drake said defiantly, but
he regretted it almost as soon as the words had come out of his mouth.
The king's eyes flashed pure anger in their dull brown depths. “How much
exactly do ye know?” he asked with a dangerously friendly tone.
“Only that she is my sister, and I gave her that sword she had when we
captured her.” He almost backed off in fear but stopped himself, if he
backed away the king's anger would only get worse.
“The sword...” the king murmured “ha, yes the sword!” His voice was low
and he almost grinned, evilly.
“Sir?” Drake asked.
“Take the sword, Drake, and destroy it.” he commanded.
“Why, sir?” Drake asked, shocked.
“Just do it!” he snapped “break it and toss it in the sea for all I care!”
Drake knew it would only be worse if he tried to argue so he bowed and
left the room.
* * *
I sighed, with the soldiers going back and forth I had no way of unlocking
the door and escaping without being seen. If only I had time! I felt
somewhat relieved that the chain wasn’t on my wings though, for when it
had been on, I could feel it draining my energy, slowly, but still noticeable. I

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drew in a sharp breath as one of the soldiers came to my cell. He unlocked

the door and pulled me out roughly.
“King Acheron wants to see thee.” he said pushing me in front of him. He
made sure to keep the spear in my ribs so I wouldn't fight back.
“Well tell him that I don’t want to see his ugly mug again!” I said and
elbowed him in the stomach as hard as I could.
The spear jabbed into my ribs, but I just winced and bolted. I could hear
him roaring for the other guards behind me as I ran for the staircase. I
reached it and rushed up running straight into Drake. Before I could react,
he grabbed my wrist and twisted my arm backwards. I gave a yell of pain
and kicked his shin. He let go and stumbled. I ran down the hall but
stopped short as shadows of soldiers appeared in the torchlight on the wall
in front of me.
Nay way out now I thought, turning to face Drake.
He smirked “nay way out now.”
“I guess I'll die trying then, maybe I can take a few with me!” I leaped into
him knocking him to the ground.
He grunted and pushed me off of him. I dodged his swinging sword and fell
on my back kicking his legs, so his knees buckled. He fell but recovered
quickly. The soldiers all just stood watching, snickering and shouting at
their captain.
“Hay Drake, ye should probably just back away I think a weak prisoner with
no weapon might be too much for thee!”
"Nay, don’t back away now ye might actually win this one.”
Drake growled and bit his lip till blood showed. He lifted up the sword and
swung it at me. I dodged, bending backwards. His eyes glowed a fierce red
as he leapt over me, raking the sword along my arm as he did so. I growled
and kicked his shin as he landed. he grunted, recovering quickly. Blood
dripped from my arm and splattered on the tile floor. Drake grabbed my
arm and held it with an iron-like grasp. I gasped in pain and lashed out with
my claws. He winced as they raked down his neck. The guards around us
gasped, probably in surprise at my claws. I didn’t care. I gave a satisfied
grimace at the three long lines of blood and ripped flesh that stretched
from the side of Drakes neck to his chest. I took a few steps back and

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paused, gasping for breath. Drake shook his head, recovering and went into
a battle stance, his sword ready. I grinned and rushed at him. Before he
could react, I leapt at him, using his body to launch myself into the air.
Drake gave a surprised growl as I flew into the air.
“Why are ye all just standing here staring? Get the archers!” Drake yelled
lashing out at his men with his sword.
I glanced desperately around for something to grab, for the strength in my
wings was beginning to ebb. I gave a growl of annoyance at the fact that
they were still weak from the weeks of having the chain on them. Drake
gave me a look of pure hatred. I grinned back and chortled at the growl of
frustration and annoyance from him. I groaned silently as three men with
crossbows entered the room. Drake shoved one backwards and took his
bow. I looked around desperately searching for something to use as a
shield. Of all my memories the one I remembered most was that Drake was
extremely good with weapons. Swords, bows, spears and daggers. I
remembered that he used to practice all the time. Memories flashed faster
through my head. A scene flashed and I remembered begging him to play,
but he didn’t, he was always practicing. Then another boy flitted across my
vision. A voice, so faint I could hardly hear it, echoed in my head.
“I'll play with ye, Sheera.”
I gasped and came back to the present. Drake grinned, evilly. I grimaced,
working hard to stay air born. My wings hurt from the effort. With a last
push I swooped up and grabbed one of the pine rafters that supported the
ceiling. I grimaced as my fingers dug into the rough wood. I groped for a
hold but found none. Pain lanced through my wing as the arrow sliced
through it. I gasped and fell. Spreading my wings, I tried to catch the air
and slow my descent. I couldn’t help yelling out in agony as the air ripped
against my injured wing. I crashed haphazardly against the hard stone
floor. Drake winced as I landed on my injured wing with a yell of pain. I
gave him a cold look as he walked over, his arms folded behind his back
and his cape hanging over his shoulder. I glared fiercely at him. He did
nothing, continuing toward me. Grabbing my arm, he jerked me upright
and pulled me after him, back down the hall and toward punishment. I
groaned as I saw the big double, pine doors that lead to the throne room.
Drake's face remained emotionless, but his eyes flashed black. Blood still
poured from the wound on his neck. He brushed his hand along it, and
scarlet drops splattered on the ground. He grunted and pushed the doors

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open. I hissed as he shoved me forward, my wing bumping painfully against

the door. The king looked up, his eyes cold and bored.
“What took ye so long?” he asked, his tone making me assume he didn’t
care all that much.
“She escaped the guard and put up a fight, I fought alone for my men
didn’t help.” Drake answered.
“Put the guard that let her escape to death.” the king paused.
“Already done.” Drake answered, and I couldn’t help suppressing a shiver
at the heartless, emotionless look in his eyes as he said it.
The king continued “and those guards that didn’t help thee can work in the
dungeons, and on building our new fleet of ships. Extra guard duty at night
should take care of them.” he almost grinned, evilly of course “let's see if
work will remind them whom the leaders are.”
I couldn’t help a growl rising in my throat at the fact that the king didn’t
notice the wound on Drake's neck. I could tell he was in pain and a stab of
pity went through me. I growled again, at myself this time, I couldn’t feel
pity for him, he had sliced my arm before I clawed him. Drake looked at the
king expectantly.
“Oh, yes, of course, take the girl and whip her...” the king paused then
added “for reel this time.”
I groaned again. Drake pushed me out the doors and down the hall leading
to the dungeon steps. Pain lanced through my wing until I collapsed with
an anguished yell. Drake paused and held out his hand to me. I glared at
him; suspicion clear in my eyes. “I know we hath fought recently, and that
the pain in thy wing wast my fault, but I was ordered to bring ye to the
dungeons. . .” he paused then added “so that’s what I'm going to do.”
“Hmm. . .” I looked at him with a mock look of thoughtfulness on my face,
“let's see, ye slice my arm, ye hit my wing with an arrow and not to forget
that I'm here and thee are not letting me go, and also the fact that ye are
keeping my dragon from me without even letting me know if she is okay,” I
gave him a fake shrug “why wouldn’t I trust thee?” I couldn’t help stifling a
gasp as his eyes turned a sorrowful blue and filled with water. He grabbed
me, gently and pulled me to my feet.

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“I know, Sheera” he looked deep into my eyes until I felt as if he could read
my thoughts “and sometimes I feeleth horrible about the way I treateth my
sister, but other times. . . I am only following my king.”
“But ye don’t even care about the dragons!” I argued.
His eyes flashed red briefly “ye wast not what I thinketh about the
dragons” he took a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing “I
wish I could let thee go, sometimes I really do. But ye hath ne'er imagined
to what we want thee for, if ye wouldeth only join the king. . . thy king.”
I growled and slashed at the air with my claws "nay! Ye hath nay idea how
much I wouldeth like to rake my claws along his face!”
Drake snorted “good luck.” With a sad almost longing sigh he continued
pushing me down the steps, toward a cold prison cell and the merciless
cracking of a whip.

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Chapter four, Storm

an' thunder
Rolf glanced around, his red eyes searching every crack in the rocks around
him. He swung his head around as movement caught his eye. A black tail
disappeared through a crack. He raised an eyebrow, confused. Something
grasped his leg, and sharp claws sank into his skin. With a growl he grabbed
Nightmare and held the small dragon up.
“Why dideth ye sink thy claws into my leg?” Rolf asked, “the game is
supposed to be me finding ye, not the other way around.”
Rolf glared and the cowering dragon on his arm. His gaze softened when he
saw Nightmare’s wide scared eyes. “I wasn’t being that harsh, what's
wrong?”
Nightmare said nothing but turned and nodded toward the rock that Rolf
had seen the black tail disappear behind. He frowned and walked slowly
toward the rock, drawing his sword as he went. The blade glistened in the
fading light. The handle was a dark silver with a swirling design and a red
pommel stone. He inched closer, Nightmare peering out from behind his
head. His black leather books crunched in the snow, and his cape whipped
around behind him in the cold winter wind that blew. He heard a hissing
sound and jumped back as a long scaly body slithered out from behind the
rock. Its arrow-shaped head moved from side to side as it moved closer.
Rolf glanced at the unmistakable shape of the head; it was an Arrow Strike
snake. He knew all too well what their venom could do, He had once used
it to get past a guard. Arrow strike snake venom could paralyze a human
from the legs down for an hour. If he got bitten by it, he would probably be
finished off before he had enough time to get the venom out of his system.
Especially since these snakes liked to sting then drag their paralyzed victims
into the water and drown them before feasting. He brandished his sword
and prepared for it to strike at him. The snake slithered closer and hissed.
Rolf retaliated by slicing its head. The Arrow strike hissed and inched closer
until it was within striking distance. Sweat dripped down Rolfs back. He
slashed again, knowing it would be at least a few more strikes from his
sword before the tough snake's scales would get weak enough to allow him

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to actually slice its head off. It made a gurgling hiss and struck, its teeth
sinking through his leather trousers and into his flesh. He gave a growl of
pain and felt his legs buckle underneath him. He hit the ground painfully
and felt the snake curl around his leg, dragging him toward the water.
Towards his death. He lashed out desperately with his sword, but in the
awkward angle he couldn't get at it.
“Nightmare, get help.” he gasped through breaths as he swung at the
snake.
The small dragon nodded and flew off, and Rolf could only hope that he
would actually get help and not just cower somewhere in fear. The snake
hissed again and dragged him closer to the water. Rolf lashed out again,
but he couldn’t get at the snake's head, only its body which was curled
around his leg. He grunted in frustration; he couldn’t slice at its body
without cutting into his leg, but he would have to as a last resort if
Emeralda didn’t arrive in time. He glanced at the sky in panic as water
started lapping at his knees. He was being dragged to his death. He hissed
in pain as his head bumped against a rock. The water now reached up to
his chest and the snake was dragging him deeper still. The snake heaved his
leg and he found himself under the cold water. He tried to use his hands to
swim up, but it was useless. His legs hung like a dead weight. He lashed out
blindly with his sword but hit nothing but endless water. The surface
seemed so far away now. His lungs felt squeezed from lack of air and he
felt light-headed. Water flooded his mouth and he choked. Finally, he let
himself sink, slowly into unconsciousness, and sunk deeper into the dark
water as the sun was covered in darkness.
Rolf gasped and coughed up a mouthful of water. He hissed at the pain in
his lungs and looked around. He was back in his cave. Emeralda’s black and
green face stared down at him, a cheeky grin on her face. Rolf forced
himself into a sitting position and glared at her.
“Thee always hast to waiteth till last minute huh?” he said coughing again.
Emeralda laughed and nodded, trying to look serious “yup.”
Rolf shook his head and stood, slowly. His legs buckled and he fell.
Emeralda rushed to his side, and he fell on her shoulder. He mumbled a
quick thanks and walked slowly, leaning against her. She grinned and
muttered “well I saved thy life. . .again.”

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Rolf shrugged “well ye would be in Redwater right now if I hadn't saved

thee as an egg when I escaped.”
She shrugged, copying his nonchalant demeanor “well ye would be at the
bottom of the sea if I hadn't saved thee.”
Nightmare jumped up when they rounded the corner. Rolf sat beside him
by the fireplace and stroked his scaly back. The small dragon made a
purring sound. Rolf grinned happily.
“Thou are not mad at me?” Nightmare asked.
"Nay, why would I be?” Rolf continued stroking him at a slow calming pace.
“Well, I didn’t go get Emeralda right away.” He looked up at Rolf with pitiful
eyes.
“Yes, ye did, I'm still here, aren't I?”
“I guess.” Nightmare sighed and fell asleep, his head lolling to the side.
Rolf got up and leaned against Emeralda again. The big black and green
dragon led him toward the storeroom where he kept all the food they
collected over the summer. Emeralda grabbed a fish in her jaws and
dropped it in his hands. He ate it, sighing as the cold blood hit his throat
and oozed down soothingly. He limped toward his room with Emeralda
following not far behind. With a sigh he collapsed on his bed and slowly
pulled his boots off.
He looked at Emeralda “did my cape fall off when ye pulled me out?”
“Yes, unfortunately.”
“I guess I'll have to get a new one from Harkcourt's markets.”
“Not Redwater’s? Its closer” Emeralda teased.
“of course, not.” He snapped and removed his sword and its sheath from
his belt.
He slipped off his tunic, hanging it over the makeshift bed’s post to dry, and
lay on the bed. Emeralda turned lumbering through the doorway and
disappeared around the corner. Rolf sighed and waited. Nightmare flew in,
his grey fin glowing warmly. The small black and grey dragon curled up on
Rolf's chest and warmth seeped through his body. Rolfs eyes grew heavy,
and he felt his thoughts sinking into blackness. Slivers of light where his

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eyelids had not closed. The sound of Nightmare purring. Then nothing. Just
a black, blank void.
* * *
Rolf awoke to the soft pattering of rain above his head. He got up and
slipped over to the hole. Rain fell outside and a small stream of water
poured in. He grunted and whistled for Emeralda. She appeared from the
storeroom, a fish in her jaws, and glanced at him.
“Can ye help me put the board back over the hole?” he asked then added
“Darkfin must have left it off when he went out this morning.”
Emeralda nodded and walked over, her claws scraping against the cold
stone floor of the cave. She gulped down the fish, whole. She sighed and
took the board in her teeth. Rolf climbed onto her back and taking it from
her, slid the board over the entrance. He nodded in thanks and slid off her
shoulder.
“That rain will probably turn to snow soon, it's too cold for it not to.” Rolf
muttered half to himself.
The big black dragon just nodded, her green patches and fin glowing in the
dark cave. Rolf walked toward the storeroom and Nightmare flew to perch
on his shoulder. He grinned slightly and pet him. Walking into the
storeroom he dispatched Nightmare in the corner were bugs and beetles,
that the small dragon liked, roamed. He grabbed a fish from the basket and
ate it in hurried gulps, hardly noticing the blood trickle down his throat, or
the strangely good tang of the guts as they slid down with their slimy goo.
Nightmare chirruped and flew to his shoulder again, having eaten his fill,
though he saved one to crunch loudly in Rolf's ear. Rolf didn’t pay much
attention; it was an old trick. His red eyes glowed as he walked to his room.
He pulled his tunic back over his head and buckled his sword to his back, in
its black sheath. He walked back out of his room and called Emeralda. She
appeared and looked at him in question.
“I want to go to Harkcourt’s markets.” he murmured, stroking her black
and green scales.
“In the rain? . . .or is it snow now?” She appeared puzzled.
“Yes, now.” Rolf took a deep breath then explained “there won't be as
many people walking around in the markets if it's raining, so less chance of
being seen.”

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She nodded “ok, well I guess it’s a flight in the rain for me.”
“Oh, don’t complain, if it wasn’t raining there would be more patrols from
Redwater,” Rolf glared at her “and more chance of ye getting caught, so
don’t be a grouch.”
Emeralda grumbled something under her breath but padded toward the
entrance. Rolf climbed up with his claws, and shoved the board out of the
way so that she could get out. Emeralda unfurled her wings and leapt up,
landing beside him. Her wings shimmered emerald, green in the little
amount there was of winter light. Rolf ran up her tail and sat on her
shoulders, holding onto the emerald-set, silver collar on her neck. She flew
into the air and the cold wind hit Rolf’s face, making it hard to breathe. The
snow battered his bare arms and face. He ignored the cold and focused on
looking for patrols from Redwater that might spot them. But Emeralda
pushed on and soon the marshy island was out of sight, with no trouble.
Rolf couldn’t help wishing his cape wasn’t gone, for the wind and snow
nearly froze him. Emeralda had started complaining about her wings falling
off when the storm gave up some. The island of Harkcourt came into view
and Rolf groaned.
“What?” Emeralda asked.
“The storm isn't bad here at all” Rolf growled “I'll be spotted for sure.”
“Just make sure there are no soldiers from Redwater.” she shrugged.
“Ya, easy.” Rolf couldn’t help the sarcastic tone that entered his voice.
Emeralda landed not far from the markets. Rolf slid off her shoulders,
pulled his black mask over his nose and mouth and headed toward the
hustle and bustle of people. To many people. He kept his head low and
shuffled slowly into the town square. Stands with various items stood on all
sides, and people walked all around. It was loud. Rolf hissed as the noise
buzzed in his ears. Most of the snow was worn away by the many
footsteps, but a thin trampled layer still remained. A light snow fell,
nothing like the storm he had flown out of, but it added somewhat of a
cover from being seen. Rolf side-stepped and sidled around dozens of
merchants, knights and peasants. He stopped at the fancy vendor which
sold capes and tunics. He nodded to the shop owner and put a pile of coins
in front of the young man. He pointed with a gloved hand to the dark blue
cape with a hood at the back of the stand. The young merchant looked
surprised but handed it to him. Rolf nodded his thanks and walked to the

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edge of the woods. He pulled the cape over his shoulders and lifted the
hood to shadow his eyes. He glanced around to make sure no one was
following him. When he saw nobody, he slipped quietly into the woods to
find Emeralda. He found the black and green dragon by a small stream. She
was peering into the depths. Rolf whistled to get her attention and she
turned to him, a fish in her jaws.
“Ready?”
“I guess.” Her voice was muffled as she talked around to the fish.
He ran up her tail and slid into his seat on her shoulders. She gulped down
the fish and flew into the air, twirling. Rolf glared “showoff.” She grinned
and flew higher. Once above the clouds she leveled out and flew steadily.
Rolf sighed and pulled the hood farther over his face. The storm was dead
ahead. Emeralda growled in displeasure but flew steadily into the cloud
bank. Snow blasted against his cape and battered Emeralda's wings. She
hissed but flew on. Rolf growled in annoyance as the snow changed to hail
and icy pellets hit his face where his mask didn’t cover. Emeralda’s breath
came out in ragged gasps and her wings were covered with snow and ice.
“What's closer, our island of Harkcourt?” Rolf asked.
“Harkcourt” Emeralda gasped “our island is still a bit away.”
“Are there any islands near Harkcourt that ye know about?”
“Yes, it's not too far from here, I think.”
“Ye think?”
“I don’t know how far we’ve gone exactly, it's too hard to tell when all ye
can see is snow and ice blasting into thy face!”
“Well, I thought we went farther than that.”
“We didn’t" Emeralda raised her voice to be heard over the wind as she
turned around “it just seems like that because it's so hard.”
“Oh, great.”
Emeralda flew lower and soon Rolf could hear the crash of the sea below
them. The wind grew harsher forcing Emeralda back up into the clouds. She
flew circles for a while and finally gave up. Her wings buckled and she
plummeted. Rolf gave a yell of dismay as they crashed into the icy cold
water. He choked as it filled his mouth. Water roared in his ears and closed

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over his head. He struggled back up and spat out a mouthful. Rolf searched
desperately for Emeralda, but inky black water was all he could see. His
cape weighed him down and pulled him under. He fought desperately,
trying to get back to the surface. But it was impossible. I hate water, was all
he could think as searing pain lanced through him. He gave a last effort and
kicked out with his legs. But he had lost all sense of direction. Which way
was up? He didn’t know. Everything was dark, black and cold. Finally, his
senses faded, and he sunk into unconsciousness.

Chapter five, Blood

and Fire
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Blood oozed down my back and dripped on the cold stone floor. The new
wounds from the whipping I had been given didn't help with the already
throbbing pain of my wing. Drake gave me a sympathetic glance before
disappearing down the hall. I looked after him, mystified. A few moments
later he returned with a bundle in his arms. He stood in front of the cell,
looking embarrassed. Then he shoved the bundle through the bars.
“I’ve seen the way ye shiver, maybe ye’ll be less cold with this.” he
shrugged and sat down in front of the cell.
I unfolded to bundle and realized with a gasp that it was a cloak. I gave him
a questioning look.
His eyes flashed blue for a moment as he said, “it twas mothers.”
“Ye knew our mother?!” I gasped.
"Nay, the king gaveth this to me and told me it had been hers, he said that
she came to the castle on a cold winter morning, she pulled me along
behind and she carried two bundles, one I think was thee though the king
never told me that, I don’t know what the other was. She collapsed on the
doorstep and the king took her in. She died not long after. So, he raised me
and taught me to fight, then anon made me his captain, he never said what
happened to thee” he paused then added “I thinketh he didn’t want me to
know I had a sister, maybe he thought that if I knew I would be more loyal
to her than him.” He shrugged.
I glanced at the cloak, it was a deep blue with black fur on the hood. I
frowned, this seemed a cloak for a queen, not a peasant. I placed the cloak
on my back and winced as it rubbed against my wounds. Drake gave me a
sympathetic look.
“Ye know, I really don’t understand ye, one moment thou are attacking me
the next thou art feeling sorry for me?” I narrowed my eyes.
Drake laughed; a raspy kind of laugh that made it obvious that he didn’t do
it very often “actually thou art the one whom attacked me.”
I ducked my head to hide my smile “I guess.” I shrugged trying to look
nonchalant.
Drake grinned and his eyes glowed yellow almost matching mine “ye know
I'll miss ye if thee escape.”

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I looked up, surprised “I cry your mercy?”

“Yea, I haven't enjoyed anything before, but now. . .” he trailed away.
“Well, I'm not going to spend the rest of my life in a dungeon just so ye can
be happy” I took a deep breath trying to calm my rising temper.
“I didn’t mean it like that, I meant that I thinketh thee would be best to join
the kings guard.”
I gasped “but. . .”
“Ye could join him, then we could be together like a real brother and sister”
“But. . .” I trailed away.
“But what?”
“I can't.”
“Why not?!” his voice almost held panic.
"Nay, ye don’t understand, he stands for everything I'm against” I paused
and continued “I could never help him capture dragons.”
"Nay, ye don’t understand” he said standing up, his eyes glinting red “ye
wilst though, one day, ye wilt realize that if ye don’t join Deadwater then it
will kill thee.”
I blinked, confused but also slightly scared. He walked away muttering a
curse under his breath. I sighed, every time we get close, I say something
that makes him angry I thought sourly. I took a deep breath, calming my
mixed-up emotions and sat down. The pain had ebbed, but my back still
throbbed once in a while. I slowly rose to my feet, grabbing the bars to
steady myself. I started pacing on the small floor in between the bars. My
mind worked, forming a plan. A plan of escape. I would use the key for
sure, but what about Riverglow? I could try and find her, but if I spent lots
of time out it would be most likely that the guards would see and tell Drake
who would gather his men and find me. I didn’t know my way around so it
would be hard to find a way out. I paced back and forth trying to think of a
way. Then an idea formed in my mind. Could I possibly befriend a dragon? I
leaned over and peered into the cell on my left side. Nothing, I'd wait until
they put a dragon there.
* * *

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Drake stared at the wall of his room. Why couldn’t Sheera understand? He
glanced at her sword on his bed. The king had ordered him to destroy it. If
he didn’t and the king found out, He would get in big trouble. But if he
did… he didn’t know, would it ruin… he let his thoughts trail away with a
sigh, he couldn’t understand. Why didn’t she just join the guard? He would
be her captain and he wouldn’t go hard on her. What was it that she had
with dragons? Sure, they were both part dragon, but he had only ever seen
dragons as something to use. He shrugged and walked over to the door.
Before he opened it though he heard a knock. He opened the door and
nodded to the guard who was waiting.
“Sir” he bowed and continued when Drake nodded “Sir Dravion found a
dragon.” he said and shifted as if he had more to say.
“Only Dravion?” Drake asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Nay, Lady Syren and Sir Creen captured two others.” the guard answered,
hurriedly.
“Take me to them.” Drake's eyes were cold, grey and emotionless.
The guard nodded and led him down the hall and through the many
corridors. Drake held up his hand and took the lead as they came to the
stone steps that lead down a level. He walked swiftly and in a demanding
way, with one arm behind his back bent at the elbow, and the other arm at
his side. He opened the large double doors, pushing them open with both
hands, and entered the courtyard. Three knights waited beside their
dragons, with three dragons chained in front of them. It was really a sight,
three knights with three dragons that they rode and three dragons that
they had captured and chained. Drake wondered how they could treat
their own dragons with such care and treat other dragons with cruelty. Not
that he cared, but he did find it somewhat strange how they treated their
dragons. How could ye treat such beasts with care? He figured he would
never know. He nodded to Sir Creen and kissed Lady Syren’s hand.
“Sir Dravion, I see ye have fared well” he said.
“Yes, sir” Sir Dravion bowed and waited whilst Drake inspected the dragons
that lay bound.
“Report” Drake said looking up.
“I found them near Ravynwake, I couldn’t get them all, so I called Syren
and Creen to help me.” Dravion replied.

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Drake nodded and looked at the dragons, only one was fighting still, the
other two had given up and seemed to accept their fate. One was smaller
than the other two and was an interesting all red. The other two were the
usual, colors added to black. Drake turned to Dravion “ye all did a great job,
go get some victuals.”
Dravion nodded his thanks. Creen grinned and followed Dravion out the
door. Syren paused and looked at Drake “do ye really think we did a good
job?” She asked, hesitantly as if trying to find words.
“Yes, why do ye ask?”
She shrugged and pointed towards the dragon that was still fighting
viciously “I caught that one, I think ye’ll like his strength.” With that she
walked out the door, leaving Drake staring at the dragon. What did she
mean by that? He didn’t like dragons. Partly because he feared that if he
did, one of the guards would put two and two together and find out that
he was half dragon himself. A thought crossed his mind, and he stared after
the knight in surprise and a bit of horror. Did she know?
* * *
I looked up as four guards approached. They were dragging something
behind them. I leaned against the bars of the cell to get a better look. It
was a dragon. He was all red, which was strange for usually dragons were
some different shades of red, blue, orange, yellow or green with a black
background or sometimes dark blue. I could tell by his eyes that he had
given up and, somewhat, accepted his fate. The guards opened the cell on
my right and pushed him in, roughly. They then locked the door and
disappeared down the hall. Probably to get more dragons, I thought with
disgust. I turned and inspected the dragon. He had an arrow protruding
from his side, the feathers on its tip green announcing that it had some
kind of poison on its head. Now they're using poison to dull the dragons'
movements! I fumed silently. I heard a low growl and glanced at the
dragon's face. He had opened his eyes, though he still lay in the same spot.
I reached through the bars as far as I could and grabbed the arrow. I gave it
a yank and pulled it from his left flank. The dragon let out a roar but when
he realized that the arrow was gone and the effects were fading, he looked
up. I grinned, showing my fangs.
“Where am I?” He asked, his voice was deep but held a spark of humor
that was just noticeable through its exhausted sound.

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“Redwater.” I answered plainly.

“Hmm.” He grunted and shifted into a more comfortable position.
I shrugged and winced as pain shot through my back. He glanced at me
sharply and I looked away from his piercing golden eyes.
“My name is Ferno.” he said, lowering his head and holding out a taloned
foot in front of him.
I cocked my head; I had never seen a dragon greeting like this. “I’m
Sheera.”
He nodded and crouched down. I bounced from foot to foot wondering
whether to ask him how he got captured or not. Ferno chuckled “go
ahead” he murmured.
“How did ye know?” I asked cocking my head in question.
He shrugged “I could tell.”
I grinned “how did ye get captured?”
“Well…” he paused as if searching for the right words. When he spoke
again his voice was cold “I was patrolling Ravynwake with Drakon and
Tarron when a big black dragon appeared above us, we didn’t think much
of it at first. But two others joined it, they were all big and I started to
worry, the others took no notice” he narrowed his eyes “I’m a bit of a
worrier and they tend not to listen. Well not until right before they struck,
we saw the riders on their backs and the glinting metal collars around their
necks and bolted, we all know that dragons with collars are from Redwater
and only care to capture other dragons. But before we could get far Drakon
turned around and headed straight for them, he is a real fighter. His
brother turned to follow him, unwilling to leave him to fight three dragons
by himself, I reluctantly followed. And as ye can see, we failed” he sighed
and added “the lead one was a real big one, strong to, I kept blaming
Drakon for our capture, but I’ve realized that they were too fast, and diving
from above to, they would have caught us anyway.”
I was silent for a moment and when I did speak my voice echoed loudly in
my ears “so that’s what he captures the dragon’s for, to use them to
capture more and then…” I let myself trail away, not needing or wanting to
say the rest. Ferno knew, we both did.

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Ferno looked up at the ceiling and his eyes strayed to the grated window.
“Have ye ever tried to climb up and escape that way?” He asked.
I turned my gaze up "nay, but it might work.” Something like excitement
rippled through my body as I got up and used my claws to try and climb the
wall. Ferno grunted in surprise at my claws but said nothing. Since it was
stone the slickness of it made it hard and more than a few times I felt like
giving up. But Ferno's constant encouragement kept me going. Eventually I
made it up and pulled myself onto the small ledge of the window. I tested
how well the grate held on. It was stuck tight.
I sighed and turned to Ferno “it’s no use, it’s stuck tight.”
“Hmm.” he grunted in disappointment.
“Ye couldn’t get through anyway, so why would ye care?” I asked.
“If ye got through ye could get help from Ravynwake.” he replied.
“Where is Ravynwake? And is it an island?”
He laughed, his deep dragon voice bouncing off the stone walls “It’s not an
island, I’m surprised ye haven’t heard of it. It’s a haven for all dragons, safe
from Redwater, until a few weeks ago anyway. It’s part of the mainland,
sharing borders with Harkcourt and Malmor.”
I nodded “well I probably couldn’t fit through the window, anyway, cause
my wings would be in the way.”
He looked at me sharply “wings?”
I realized that my new cloak kept them hidden, I’d grown so used to them
being seen that I hadn’t noticed. I took a deep breath, unclipped the cloak
and let it fall from my shoulders. Ferno gasped as I used them to slow my
descent down from the ledge, with a little pain. Once at the bottom I
unfurled them and let him see their full length. They stretched from the
stone wall to the bared door at the other side of the cell.
“How?” He asked.
“I’m cursed with dragon blood.”
“I had heard of that, but I have to admit I didn’t believe it, their simply
beautiful.”

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I blushed and ducked my head to hide my embarrassment. He chuckled

and laid his head down. I realized that I too was extremely tired. I lay down
in the pile of straw and fell asleep.
When I awoke, I was shivering. Cold seeped up through the floor and it felt
like every bone in my body was turning to ice. Water drizzled lazily through
the grated window and down the wall. Ferno was sleeping so I looked at
the dragon on my left. He looked back and me and I was surprised when he
growled “he is not thy friend” then lay back down and appeared to have
fallen asleep. I shook my head wondering if I had been imagining his voice,
or the whole thing. Ferno lifted his head and yawned, huge jaws gaping to
show rows of deadly pointed teeth. I reached behind me and removed a
small stone from the wall.
“Gonna tunnel out of here?” Ferno asked with a hint of mockery in his
voice.
I ignored him and removed Drake's key from the hole. I held it up
triumphantly and Ferno gasped.
“Can ye help me escape?” Seeing my look of contempt, fake of course, he
added hurriedly “I didn’t mean it about ye tunneling out, really, it was just
a joke.”
I laughed, unable to keep a straight face any longer when I finally could
stop laughing, I answered him. “Yes, yes.” I gasped as I caught my breath.
He grinned, seeing the funny side of the situation. I stood up and stuck my
hand out, through the bars and around so I could stick the key in the lock. It
took some fiddling around to get it in the right spot, but I got it eventually.
Once out I opened Ferno's door and glanced around at the dragons nearest
to our cells. There were lots of dragons in them. However, Riverglow was
not among them. I suppressed a sudden worry that I would never see her
again.
“Are ye looking for someone?” Ferno asked.
“Yes, a water dragon, her name is Riverglow.” I replied.
“I see.”
I looked at him with beseeching eyes “she might be here; do ye think that
perhaps ye could help me find her?”

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“Oh alright.” he sighed and looked down the passage, “split up, cover
more ground.” and with that he disappeared down the dark dungeon hall.
I went the other way, stopping at each cell to look for Riverglow. As I
passed the dungeon cells most of the dragons cowered in fear. I realized I
must look like one of the guards with this cloak on. But also, some of them
looked up with a spark of excitement in their eyes. I thought it was because
they thought I was coming to free them, but no, they were excited at the
thought of going on another patrol with their riders. I growled in disgust. I
looked desperately at every dragon I saw, until I reached the middle and
Ferno joined me.
I felt close to tears as I heard that he had found nothing either. “Maybe ye
saw her but didn’t know it was her.” I suggested, desperately.
"Nay, no water dragons, I think they are probably keeping her in another
spot, one with lots of water.” he answered firmly.
I slumped to the floor, unable to hold back the tears. Ferno sighed “ye
know, sometimes we lose what we love most” he said “and no matter how
painful it is ye have to remember that they wouldn’t want ye to stay where
ye are and grieve. They would want to ye to move on, and in thy case, to
escape.”
He sounded as if he knew exactly what he was talking about, so much so
that I looked up wondering if he had gone through this himself. “Ok” I
nodded then looked up, a new thought occurring to me “What about all
the other dragons?”
“It's too risky, to many guards and chances of getting caught” Ferno replied
“we’ll send help from Ravynwake for them, by my troth.”
With that we bolted for the entrance, with me telling him what I knew
about guard placement and watch shifts. “Sounds hard” he muttered.
“Ya, I actually escaped before, that’s how I got this wound in my wing” I
shrugged “it was too hard, to many guards.”
Ferno nodded then said suddenly “I think I know how we can get out”
I looked at him in surprise “I cry your mercy?!”
“When they brought us down to the dungeons, it was from a passage that
comes down right from the courtyard. They use it a lot, but it’s not guarded

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much, probably for that reason” his eyes shown as a plan formed in his
mind “yes, we could go up through there then fly from the courtyard.”
I just nodded, not sure that it would be so easy. We found the door, it was
smaller than the main one that lead out of the dungeons, but still big
enough for a full-sized dragon to fit through without difficulty. Ferno
peered down the corridor “there’s someone coming, get behind the door.”
I did so and wondered what he would do. Two people passed us, leading
dragons. I was surprised to see that one was a lady, her long raven hair
swishing as she walked. The other was a man, dressed in knights' armor
and leading the biggest dragon I had ever seen, but then I guess I’d only
seen a few up close. They passed us, oblivious. I crept out from behind the
door and peered into the dark hall, nothing.
“Let's go.” I jumped and wheeled around to see Ferno, I hadn’t heard him
approach. He grinned mischievously and I gave him a murderous look. With
a nod from me we continued. The dark passage was only lit by a torch in its
holder here and there. It seemed to go up slightly, but I could tell it was still
underground. I felt as if it would go on forever and ever, but before I knew
it the opening was ahead of us. It was a steel-rimmed wood door with a
rather large, grated window. Ferno peered through and nodded to me, “it’s
safe.”
I nodded and he pushed it open, we stepped out into the courtyard. It was
a large open area, with a stone wall all around it. Nobody was there now,
but I couldn’t help glancing around expecting Drake to jump out at me
from some hidden corner.
“Hurry, before they come hither.” Ferno hissed, turning his head to look
back at me. I stood behind him with a confused look. “Climb on, thy wing is
too weak from that injury to fly.” he said.
I raised my eyebrows in surprise but obeyed the command. Ferno crouched
down and looked at me “better hold on” with that he launched himself into
the air, flapping his powerful dark red wings. I grabbed the two horns that
protruded from the back of his skull. He did a twirl in the air and then we
were flying straight, towards what, I didn’t know, but it felt good to be free,
nonetheless. I glanced up to see a thunderhead in front of us. Ferno flew
right into it. Rain fell constantly and lightning flashed around us. I ducked
down, trying to shield my face from the sting of the rain that was turning to
hail and snow.

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“Stop, dragon!” I turned my head to see another dragon following us, it

was big and black. I frowned as I caught sight of the glinting metal collar on
its neck.

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Chapter six, A Forest

of Shame
Rolf choked, coughing up a mouthful of water. His vision cleared and there
was ground beneath him, not the swirling torment of the seas. Where was
he? He glanced up to see a stretch of sloping grass with a light covering of
slush separating him from the sea. I must be on an island, but how dideth I
get here? He wondered. And where was Emeralda?
“Oh, I see thou art awake.” He looked up to see a girl, a little younger than
him, leaning against a green and black dragon.
“Obviously.” he growled.
“Why the rude voice, I just saveth’d thine life.” she tossed her long black
hair over her shoulder.
“And left my dragon to die?” He glared, angrily.
“Ye have a dragon?!” She and the dragon beside her exchanged glances.
“Probably not anymore, no gramercy to ye”
The girl frowned “we could help thee search” then seeing the indignant
look on his face added “ye would do better with our help, ye can’t fly over
the water.” she smiled.
“Ok, fine.” his voice barely above a whisper he added “but what if it’s too
late?”
The girl gave him a sympathetic look “we can only try.”
“Thou art right” he shrugged “my names Rolf.”

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“Ryoka Wolfe, but ye can call me Ryo.”

Rolf have her a curt nod and looked at her dragon “Emeralda looks a lot
like him, but her wings are more the color of shining emeralds.”
“Ok, at least she's not blue.”
Rolf looked up at the dragon beside her. He kneeled on one knee and put
his sword in the ground in front of him, one hand in its hilt and its tip
buried in the ground, lowering his head he said. “I ask thy service, to help
me find one of thy kind, and a dear friend of mine.” he looked up and was
relieved when the dragon bowed his head and held out a clawed foot “I
except.” he murmured.
Ryo's face held a curious look, and she gave her dragon a questioning look.
The black and green dragon just turned to Rolf again “my name is
Forestdale.”
Rolf lowered his head in greeting then looked at Ryo. “I’d ride him if I
could, but I fear that he is too young for my size, so I ask ye to ride thy
dragon and help me find mine?”
“Sure.” she grinned, he thought he noticed that her front teeth were
curved like fangs, but he wasn’t sure, and he didn’t really care at that
moment “I said I would help ye, didn’t I?”
Rolf grunted and turned his face to the sky as Ryo mounted Forestdale and
they disappeared above the trees. Rolf stared out across the sea and
wondered if Emeralda was still alive. The weight of the possibility that she
was dead was too much and he put his head in his hands. I feel like a
coward doing nothing like this he thought, unsheathing his claws. He
climbed up the tallest tree he could find, digging his claws into the soft bark
to pull himself up, higher and higher, until he reached the top. He crouched
down to keep from losing his balance and stared out at the sea. He could
just make out Ryo and Forestdale as a dark spot on the horizon. He sighed
and turned toward the other way. He couldn’t see anything that could be
Emeralda. Harkcourt was closer than he had expected, and he collapsed on
the branch, tears threatening to overtake his red eyes. He had done this,
Emeralda hadn’t wanted to go, but he had made her. It was his fault.
Something inside told him that there was no way she had survived it. He
had caused her death. He sighed deeply to keep his tears at bay. Rolf
growled and jumped from the tree. Time seemed to slow, and he felt like
he hung in midair for a moment before plummeting. He watched as the

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ground grew rapidly closer. He hit it with a thud, but not that hard for the
snow offered some padding. Pain shot through his bones, but he just lay
there staring up at the sky. Emeralda had kept him going when he had
been ready to give up. She had kept him alive. And what did he do to
return the favor? He had let her down by leaving her to drown. He didn’t
bother retracting his claws as he got up and walked wearily back to the
edge of the small island.
“Are ye okay?” He turned to see Ryo.
He grunted “what do ye think, the only true friend I had left is gone.”
She gave him a long look then nodded “we didn’t find anything, I wish I
could help, I really do but Forestdale isn’t a water dragon.”
Rolf nodded and pushed his hand through his shaggy dark brown hair. His
claws caught and he grunted in annoyance, pulling his hand away. Ryo
stared at him with shock in her orange eyes. He glanced sharply at her.
“Ye have claws.” she murmured.
“Ye have orange eyes.” he replied.
“But I only do because I…” she trailed away with a sigh.
“Are cursed with dragon blood.” He finished for her.
She stared at him “ye?”
“Yea.”
“So that’s why ye have claws and red eyes.”
He grunted in answer.
“What else?” She asked.
“Night vision and fangs.” he shrugged.
Something big landed on his back and he fell over. He landed in the snow
and as soon as the weight was lifted, he rolled away. Jumping up he saw
Darkfin standing there, growling at Forestdale.
“I’m fine, they are helping me look for…” he stopped and stared at
something in the distance.
“Whom?” Darkfin's voice grated out.
Darkfin looked around then turned to Rolf “where is Emeralda?”

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“Gone.” Rolf murmured, and as if saying it out loud made it true he buried
his head in his hands and a sob escaped his throat.
“Dead, or drown’d?” Darkfin asked, a spark of hope flickering in his eyes.
Rolf glared at him angrily “that’s the same thing!” He yelled.
"Nay, which one?”
“Drowned.”
“There’s still hope, I don’t know a lot about water dragons but enough to
know that they would never let a dragon drown.” and with that Darkfin
grabbed him and dove into the dark swirling sea.
Rolf hardly had time to suck in breath before Darkfin was below the waves.
The big black dragon let out a roar and swam up until his head broke the
surface again. Rolf watched in amazement whilst three blue and green
dragons circled Darkfin for a moment then with a splash flew out of the
water.
“We see ye are not in need of saving so for what reason, I pray thee, did ye
call us?” A big green one asked, apparently the leader.
“A friend of mine was lost to the waves in that storm, I am hoping ye have
rescued her.” Darkfin said, bowing his head in greeting.
“Ah yes, the green fire?” One of the other two dragons flew closer, his long
blue body dripping water.
“Yay.”
“She took in a lot of water; she is back at our camp resting” the dragon said
shaking water from his shining neck which seemed to switch between
shades of blue and green.
“Can ye take us to her I pray?” Darkfin asked.
“Yay, yay.” the leader grinned showing sharp teeth meant for hooking and
tearing fish. “But ye’ll have to swim.”
“Anything” Darkfin murmured and dove yet again into the swirling black
waters.
Rolf closed his eyes and let the sea envelop him. He could feel Darkfin
pushing downward. He felt as if he would last no longer for the need of air
when suddenly Darkfin broke through the surface, if you could call it that.

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Rolf could hardly believe his eyes; water surrounded them, yet they were
in a huge almost bubble. It was an island under the sea, sea dragons broke
through and flew into their domain. He slid off Darkfin's shoulders. His feet
hitting soft grassy ground, not sand though there were patches of it. He
took a step forward and gazed at the towering trees and beautiful craggy
rocks, all under the water. The leader stepped forward, his elegant green
body shimmering with reflections from the water above. He bowed his
head in greeting and turned to one of the two dragons following him.
“Go get the green fire, Shimmeringsea.”
“Right away, sir.” Shimmeringsea bowed her shimmering neck and flew
off.
The leader turned back to Rolf “Ye are the first human we’ve aloud here.”
Rolf shrugged “I’m not really human, I’m part dragon.” He held up a clawed
hand and stared back at the leader with red dragon eyes.
“I have to admit I had heard that the witch dragons of? cursed some
human younglings with dragon blood, but I did not believe it.”
Rolf nodded, wishing once again that he had been normal, perhaps if he
had been his father wouldn’t have tried to erase his memory. He turned at
a sound behind him. “Miss me?” Emeralda asked, her green scales seeming
to glow with radiance against the black ones.
“Of course, ye abandoner.” Rolf ran at her and jumped over her head in
one leap, that could only come from dragon’s agility, and slid off her
shoulder. She made a purring sound and walked around him, curling her
tail around his legs. He tripped and gave her a glare.
“I never could imagine how a dragon could bond with a human.” The king
murmured and watched in awe as Emeralda put her mouth over Rolf's
head.
“Stop, thy mouth stinks like fish.” Rolf said his voice muffled.
Emeralda looked at the king and muttered around Rolf “would ye rather it
like this?”
He just shook his elegant head, his deep blue fin shimmering. Emeralda
dropped Rolf and grinned. Rolf fell on the ground coughing “Never again,
Emeralda!” he choked and shook slobber from his face. Emeralda just
grinned and said, “I had to drop ye do I could grin.”

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Rolf growled at her and wiped his face off with his hands. He turned to the
king “I would thank thee but I’m not sure I’m all that relived to have her
back.” He ducked as Emeralda swiped at his head with her wing.
“Thou art welcome,” the big sea dragon said grinning “my name is King
Archross.”
Darkfin took a step forward and lowered his head “I thank ye for saving her
life.”
Archross nodded and murmured “I know what it is like to lose someone ye
love.”

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Chapter seven,
Lightning Death
Ferno's long wings beat hard against the rain and howling wind. I glanced
over my shoulder. The big dragon was gaining on Ferno, after all the red
was half its size with probably half its power.
“He’s gaining on us!” I yelled above the wind and thunder.
“Ye think I don’t know that?” Ferno snapped, his voice strained from the
effort of flying against the wind.
“Maybe I should get off.” I suggested.
“The wind is too strong for ye, and thy injured.”
The dragon behind us let out a roar and put in a burst of speed. It snapped
at Ferno's tail fin forcing him to curl his tail, which made it harder for him
to fly. “Just stop now, we’ve almost caught ye.” the dragons rider yelled
cackling at the fear in Ferno’s eyes.
“Jump!” Ferno ordered and did a spin.
I jumped off, unfurling my wings in the same moment. The wind ripped at
them, but I pushed downward, using every ounce of strength I had left, I
managed to hold myself aloft. I watched as the big dragon caught up to
Ferno. He turned and blew a stream of fire at it, but his flames were weak
in the rain and the time he took to do it allowed the black dragon to catch
up. It attacked and I let out a yell of dismay as they disappeared into the
dark clouds, fighting. Lightning flashed all around me and my wings grew
heavy and weak from the effort of staying airborne. I flew forward and was
almost crashed into by Ferno.
He stopped and looked at me before managing to rasp “he got struck by
lightning, his metal collar attracted it.”

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I nodded and climbed into his back, collapsing as soon as I did. Ferno flew
forward, slowly. His left wing had a jagged tare in it, causing him to fly with
an awkward gait. But he persisted and flew on, blood from his wound
mixing with the rain as it fell. His breath came out in ragged gasps as he
flew deeper into the storm.
“Maybe ye should go below the storm, look for someplace to land.” I
suggested, raising my voice against the hullabaloo.
"Nay.” Ferno shook his head and pushed on.
“Why not?”
“The sea makes winds worse, if I go lower, I’ll just be forced into the
water.”
I sighed and held on to his horns tighter as a sharp gust of wind almost
knocked me off. It seemed like forever before we finely broke through the
storm cloud. Ferno was panting with exhaustion as he landed on a small
island not too far from the mainland, which could be seen in front of us
now. I immediately slid off his shoulders and walked over to his wounded
wing. He slumped down and stretched it out so I could inspect it.
“Ye don’t happen to be able to heal, do ye?” He asked.
“What do ye mean?” I looked up, brushing my dark red hair from my eyes.
“Some dragons say that there are certain of our mind that can heal with
magic” he sighed “whether it is true or not I don’t know, but it’s said that
they separated themselves from the rest of us because they were believed
to be cursed and were cast out.”
"Nay, not with magic but I can help thy wing heal with herbs.” I shrugged,
feeling like I was just like those dragons of legend, cast out because of
being cursed.
He lay his head down and closed his eyes, “that will do.”
I smiled and wandered off into the small wood a little way. Tall trees grew
here with smooth greyish bark, bear of their leaves from the snow filled
seasons. The wood was shaded with patches of cold winter sunlight shining
through the branches. The ground, much to my delight, was covered with
dead leaves, and under those a few early growing things. Crouching down
on my knees, I searched among the dead leaves and snow. I moved along
the ground as fast as I could, dragging my hands through the loam for any

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tender new plants. I finely found what I was looking for and jumped up in
excitement. Crouching down again I dug the dead leaves and snow away
from a new tender plant, its leaves were light green and small, but they
would work. I plucked several of them and ran back through the wood. It
didn’t take long to find Ferno again for the wood was but a small one, and
the island also. I reached Ferno and began chewing one of the leaves.
“What’s that?” he asked, giving the leaves a skeptical look.
I pushed my hand under his nose, still chewing. He grinned “how did ye
find comfrey in the snow?”
I spat the pulp I had made from the leaves and grinned back “the wood is
shaded, not much snow gets through the thick tangle of branches, so I just
dug around until I found some.”
He shook his head “I’ll never know all thy secrets, will I?”
"Nay.” I said and began spreading the pulp on the tare in his wing.
He winced and stretched his wing out farther so I could get at it better. I
stroked his neck soothingly before continuing my task. Sighing, he settled
down in a more comfortable position. Once I finished, I put the rest of the
leaves into one of my cloaks pockets and sat down beside his head.
“Thank ye.” he murmured sleepily.
"Nay, thank ye, ye took that hit to save me.”
“A little.” he smiled.
I sighed and lay down, with my head resting in my hands. Ferno unfurled
his wing and motioned for me to crawl under. I gave him a grateful smile
and did so. He curled his wing mostly back up, making a sort of closed in
space under his big dragon bulk, out of the cold. I leaned against his right
flank and listened to his heartbeat until it lulled me to sleep.
I was jostled awake as Ferno unfurled his right wing and got up, with me
falling onto the ground. “Ye could have given me a warning.” I growled.
Ferno shrugged “ye weren’t listening.” he said, with a patronizing grin.
Shrugging I go up, wiping snow and dead leaves from my brown pants and
green tunic. I straightened my cloak and looked out over the sea at the
mainland. “Are we getting close to Ravynwake?” I asked, glancing up at the
sky to make sure there were no storm clouds.

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“Yeah, that actually is Ravynwake.” he nodded in the direction of the

mainland “Harkcourt and Ravynwake are over the Silver mountains.”
“I know, I lived at Harkcourt for a spell.”
He grunted and stretched out his injured wing. I walked over and inspected
the wound “looks like it’s healing.”
He just nodded, a faraway look in his piercing golden eyes. I shrugged “Ye
could stay hither until it heals.”
“Ok, I like that idea.” I couldn’t tell if he really did or just hadn’t heard me,
but something about his eyes told me he was hiding something.
Ferno was silent for the rest of the day, just staring ahead of him with
glassy golden eyes. Once or twice, I thought I noticed a tear slip down his
scaled face. His whole body was a look of pure sorrow whenever I passed
him or flashed a smile on his direction, I wondered if I should ask him what
was wrong but decided against it for whenever I tried to talk to him, he
would turn around and close his eyes without saying a word. I felt alone
that night when I curled up by myself to fall asleep. Ferno seemed so lost
and broken, his eyes closed, and his body hunched up in an uncomfortable
position. I sighed and pulled my cloak tighter around my cold body. I closed
my eyes and let a cold unforgiving sleep overtake me.
I woke up with a jolt. A glance at the sky told me it was some time in the
middle of the night. I glanced over at Ferno and watched through half
closed eyes as he got up and stared up at the sky with eyes like deep pools
of tear-filled determination.
“By my troth I will save thee my sister, with all I have.” he murmured
almost too softly for me to hear.
He closed his eyes and tears dripped down his red-scaled face, falling to the
ground with a soft patter as rain joined them in their doomed descent. My
eyes closed as sleep once again overtook me. My dreams were filled with
dragon's tears and Ferno as he tried to save another dragon from the many
chains that were wrapped around its small body. A whisper on the breeze
came to my ears “go, leave me.” Ferno cried out with a bitter cry and
turned away, tears flowing down his sorrowful face and mingling with the
rain as it fell, causing a river of tears and blood beneath my feet.
* * *
“Wake up, Sheera.” Ferno's voice broke my sleep.

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“Huh… Wha-?” I sat up sleepily.

“Time to go.”
“Go where?” I jumped up, fully awake now “I thought ye wanted to stay
hither until thy wing healed.”
“It feels all right now.” Ferno shrugged and motioned to his back.
I frowned wondering if up his sudden hurry had to do with what I had seen
last night. I shrugged and climbed into his back, positioning myself behind
his head. As soon as I had climbed on, he launched into the air, flapping his
powerful red wings. His assent was so fast that I had to grab his horns in
order to stay on. He levelled out and started flying in the direction from
which we had come.
“Aren’t we going to Ravynwake?” I asked, worry building up in my chest.
“I have something I have to do first.” Ferno answered, his voice almost
holding a hint of cruelty.
“Ferno, what wrong?” My heart started racing, what was he planning to
do? My worry built up even more when he didn’t answer. “Ferno, where
are we going?!”
“Somewhere.” he answered, and I realized I was stuck; my wing was
wounded even more from my flight in the storm, and it hurt just to move it
plus I hadn’t flown much before, so I wasn’t good at it. With a gasp I
realized I was his prisoner.
Ferno flew on in silence in an unmistakable course for Redwater. I was
worried but also couldn’t help wondering what was so important that he
would fly with an injured wing for it. Pretty soon the mainland faded out of
view, and it was just the bluish green of the sea stretching on forever.
“Ferno, please, all I want is to get to Ravynwake and get help to rescue
Riverglow.” I begged “please, I never wanted to get taken to Redwater, if
only this had never happened.”
I thought I felt him hesitate, but he continued on. Soon enough the marshy
island of Redwater was before us, the castle at its top reaching up into the
sky like a towering beacon of death. I choked and waited in horror as Ferno
flew straight toward the courtyard. A sleek shining silver and black dragon
was crouched, ready to take off with a rider on her back. She sat up when
Ferno came into view, rapidly drawing nearer. We were so close I could see

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her bright yellow eyes and hear her rider call out. In response to the call
another dragon entered the courtyard, this one was green and black. It was
about the size of Ferno, perhaps a little bigger. Ferno landed in the
courtyard and was confronted by the green and black dragon, a snarl on his
green patched face. Drake ran into the courtyard followed by a knight in a
light set of armor and a green cape.
“Geffen, stand down.” The knight called and ran up to stand beside his
mount.
Drake laughed evilly at Ferno “so ye came back, couldn’t leave thy fate
behind?”
Ferno growled deep in his throat "nay.” he snapped “I have brought ye a
gift.” He jumped up into the air and did a back flip causing me to fall off his
back and into the dust at Drake's feet.
Drake laughed again, this time at me, “I told ye.” He said, taking my face in
his hand “Ye can’t trust dragons, they will betray ye again and again until ye
are brought down.”
"Nay!” I spat, tearing myself away from him.
He turned to Ferno, “and to what do I owe the pleasure of this ‘gift’?”
“I wanteth to make a trade.”
“Speak on.”
“Ye canst have her if ye giveth me mine sister.”
“Hmm...”
“Her name is Rosetta.” Ferno paused, closing his eyes briefly “Draconian
told me ye have her before he died.”
Drake laughed “died? That’s what ye think?”
Ferno and I turned at the sound of a mighty roar. Behind us the big dragon
that had chased us in the storm stood too his full height, which was twice
as big as Ferno. He laughed “I didn’t die, Draconian does not die that
easily.”
I gasped as he stepped out of the bright light that the silver dragon had
created with her fire. Draconian was just as big as before but he had a long
scar across his face from the lightning. Stripes of lightning ran through his
body and almost seemed to crackle. The two other dragons bowed to him

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along with their riders. I wondered why their riders would bow to a dragon.
I was answered when a knight wearing a set of black armor and a blood red
cape slid off the dragon's back.
“Ye see, Sheera, I have the dragon king on my side.” Drake laughed
mirthlessly then turned to Ferno “bring him to his sister, give him a nice cell
right next to her.”
Ferno was too small to do anything against the knights with Draconian
watching as they hooked chains around his neck and dragged him away,
down to the dungeon. Drake smiled at me “oh, don’t look sad, ye’ll get a
room too.” he nodded to one of the knights “let Creen and Dravion take
him” he jerked his head in Ferno's direction “take Sheera to her cell,
Syren.”
The knight nodded, her white armor clanking as she walked toward me.
She grabbed my hand and walked down the passage following the two
other knights and Ferno. She pushed me into the cage I had occupied
before and left, her silver cape flowing out behind her. I sighed and
slumped to the ground in defeat. Escape then once again lonely and cold in
a dungeon.

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Chapter eight, tears of

a dragon
“Rolf, wake up, King Archross has something to show ye.” Emeralda said
shaking Rolf roughly.
“Okay, okay, ye don’t have to shake me to death.” Rolf protested pushing
Emeralda away.
He jumped up from the dragon sized nest that he had shared with
Emeralda. He brushed off his tunic and ran up Emeralda's tail, seating
himself on her shoulders. She launched into the air, flying just below the
roof of water. He looked down and smiled, the woods and craggy cliffs with
dragons flying here and there seemed too much to even imagine being
under the sea. Emeralda did a spin and dove, so fast Rolf had to grab her
silver collar to hold on. She headed straight toward the highest peak,
opening her wings just before she hit the rock so that she landed softly on
the ledge that stuck out from a cave near the top.
“Showoff.” Rolf said when he noticed the king watching.
Emeralda shrugged “so?”

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“I was told ye wanted to see me, King Archross?”

“Yay.” The king stepped forward and motioned toward the entrance to the
cave.
Rolf nodded and walked through, Emeralda following with Archross behind
her. Another dragon was already inside. He bowed his head when Rolf
approached and murmured “chosen one.”
Rolf looked in awe at the cave, it wasn’t very big, only enough for four
dragons to fit comfortably in. In the middle sat a pedestal in which were
carved four slots of the same size, each one was glowing a different color.
Archross stepped forward and spoke, his voice echoing strangely in the
small cavern “I assume ye have heard of the dragon tears?”
“Yay, a little,” Rolf shrugged “I was only told they are powerful, I always
thought they were a legend.”
“They are not, these slots once held the dragon tears.” The other dragon
said, coming out of the shadows. Rolf gasped, he was the size of a
youngling but his voice and the wisdom in his eyes were those of a much
older dragon. “I am Vernian, the tears are real, and I know for they are
what did this to me. When Astaroth stole the dragon tears, I was just a
youngling, I tried to stop him, but he used the tears to do this to me. I don’t
think he knew what they would do but he still used them.”
Rolf blinked “this is a lot to take, first a kingdom under the sea and now the
legendary dragon tears.”
Archross laughed “yay, I know it is a lot for thee. We cannot really imagine
for we have lived hither since we were born and have always known the
dragon tears existed.”
Rolf grinned “yay, but I must ask, why tell me all this?”
“Ah, now we get to it.” the small dragon said, his green scales glowing
softly.
Archross nodded “a great task we must asketh of thee.”
Rolf sucked in a breath “speak on.”
“It is a manner concerning the tears, as ye know some say the tears are
healing, others that they don’t exist. But what is true is that they are a set
of gemstones, with more power than a thousand seas. We have kept them
hidden in our kingdom for generations, but our task we have failed for

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seven seasons ago the tears were stolen by one of our own. Astaroth took
the gems and now they are gone, who knows what he hath done with
them, but the power of the tears will cause problems in the wrong claws.
We ask ye to get the gems and return them to our kingdom!”
Rolf leaned against Emeralda blinking “this is too much, me get the tears?!”
“Yay.” Archross nodded gravely.
“But why me?”
“Because ye are a dragon blood and even though the witch dragons are
evil, they chose ye for a reason, and I believe this is that reason.” Vernian
said.
“Why would they care about the tears?” Rolf protested.
"Nay, not the tears. They chose ye because ye have quality's that a dragon
should have,” Vernian sighed “please, if ye cannot do it for me do it for all
dragons, if Astaroth got the tears to the witch dragons, they would use
them to destroy all dragons that stand for good.”
Rolf nodded, realizing that all dragons included Emeralda and Darkfin “I will
aid ye in this quest, but one question.”
Archross grinned “speak on.”
“Why can't a dragon do this I pray?”
“Well, ye see, we failed our task, the tears will not except us until they are
returned,” Vernian smirked “thy next question I will answer, they will not
let us carry them, we cannot even touch them.”
“What can a couple of gems do against ye?”
Vernian grinned “ye shall see.”
Rolf smiled “full of mysteries.”
“Indeed I am. Now Archross, my brother, I leave him to ye.”
Rolf gave Archross a surprised look and followed the king of the seas out of
the small cavern. Once out Archross turned to Rolf “yay, Vernian is my
older brother and would have been king if the accident hadn't happened.”
Emeralda lowered her head in a gesture of sympathy. “I have but one
question, will I be able to assist Rolf?”

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“Yay, of course, I assume ye would not let him go alone no matter what I
say, so I may as well give you my consent.”
Rolf shrugged “I think she would let me die if er’er the chance came.” He
swiftly ducked without thinking about it and was rewarded with Emeralda’s
wing slashing above his head.
Archross shook his head and muttered “what a friendly relationship.”
Emeralda sniffed “and a good one it be.”
“What about Darkfin? Will he stay hither?”
“If he wishes, but I would assume he would prefer to stay by himself in the
wild.”
Rolf nodded “can I bring my little dragon along?”
“I'm not little.” Nightmare protested, climbing onto Rolf’s head and digging
his sharp claws into his scalp.
“Ow! And how did ye get hither?” Rolf demanded, swiping his hand over
his head and effectively dislodging the small dragon.
“I rode in thy pocket.”
“How?!”
“I just climbed in a rode with ye the whole way.”
“Even in the water? And how did ye fit?”
“In thy cape pocket and yay.”
“Thou art weird.”
“Am not.”
“Are to.”
“Stop arguing.” Emeralda said silencing their tirade.
“Where did ye find this small dragon?” Archross asked.
“He found me when I found the island on which I stay.”
“I am not sure I believe ye, Dwarf dragons are extremely rare.”
Nightmare stuck his tongue out and replied before Rolf could stop him
“well I'm hither now.”

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“This is Nightmare,” Rolf turned to Archross “he’s a nightmare.”

“I would think.”
“Nightmare thou art talking to the king of the sea dragons.” Rolf
murmured.
Nightmare shrugged “so?”
Rolf sighed “see, a nightmare.”
Archross nodded “in any case they are rare, now let's get ye going on thy
quest,” he nodded to a ledge lower on the cliff “go see Alerion, he is my
captain and the one that brought ye hither.”
Rolf nodded and ran up Emeralda’s tail to sit on her shoulders. The big
green and black dragon jumped off the ledge and went into a graceful
glide, to land on the ledge below. A long green dragon lay there basking in
the rays of blue and green that the sun managed to get down beneath the
water's surface.
“Alerion?” Rolf asked.
“Yay, unfortunately.” he grunted and pushed a youngling dragon off of his
long-finned tail.
Rolf cast a glance at the small dragon who was playing with Alerion’s tail.
The big green dragon grinned and got up, lifting his tail to deposit the
young yellowish green dragon from his blue tailfins. “This is my son, Remy.”
Rolf grinned “is he a nightmare to.”
“Most of the time, and the other times he is my pride and my joy. He just
started talking and found out that he loves chewing on my tail.” Alerion
sighed “ah well he’ll grow up, what can I do for ye?”
“The king sent me; I have a quest to fulfill.”
“Oh yay, Remy will have to tag along though, I'm afraid, as Shimmeringseas
is gone hunting.”
Rolf smiled at the youngling “that's fine, he can't be too much trouble.”
“Oh, he can if he wants to be.”
“I norra tubble.” Remy muttered, climbing onto his father's back as they
headed deeper into the tunnel.

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Rolf looked around at the neatly kept cavern. Three beds of woven
branches and soft leaves and moss lay neatly to one side. On the other side
a few scattered objects were strewn around along with two near piles of
fruit and fish. Alerion kept going into the darker recesses of the cave. He
stopped suddenly and stepped back, motioning to Rolf to step in front of
him. Rolf did so. A wooden table, elegantly crafted and obviously made by
a skilled dragon, stood in front of him. On it lay a map and a folded piece of
silk.
“The map will show ye the way to the witch dragons kingdom, and the silk
holds a knife which ye must not take out until ye find the gems or are in
desperate need of it,” Alerion drew in a deep breath “now go, fulfill thy
quest and save all dragons.”
Rolf nodded, the full weight of what he had to do setting in with an
uncomfortable feeling. What if he failed and the evil dragons used the
tears? He took a deep breath to calm his spinning mind and picked up the
map and silk wrapped knife. “I am ready, let's go Emeralda.”
The green and black dragon nodded and allowed Rolf to climb onto her
shoulders before flying off into the sea.
* * *
Rolf removed the map from his cape pocket and laid it out flat on a large
rock. “I think we are in the Silver mountains now, so...”
“We go south.” Emeralda finished.
“Yeah,” Rolf nodded and pointed to Satlorence Mountains on the map
“Alerion said they don’t know for sure, but the Witch dragon's kingdom is
either in the Satlorence mountain or somewhere around Malmor.”
“Makes sense, Malmor isn't friends with dragons.” Emeralda nodded “let's
make camp for now though.”
Rolf nodded in agreement and started unpacking their supplies from the
big bundle Emeralda had carried. “I wish ye could fly,” Emeralda muttered
“now I'm stuck carrying the supplies and thee!”
“Don't grumble,” Rolf retorted as he unpacked some fish and bread, “I'm
not that heavy.”
His long dark blue cape flapped around his legs as he gathered an armload
of dry twigs. Putting them in a pile he nodded to Emeralda who blew a

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stream of green fire, which immediately engulfed them in flames. He lay

down, facing the fire with his arms folded under his chin. He just lay,
watching it until the crackling sounds of it finally lulled him into a fitful
sleep.

Chapter nine, Another

One like You
…..
I stared at the sleeping girl in the cell on my left, she seemed different. Not
in a normal way, more like in a way that one could feel more then see. Or
perhaps just I could feel. She awoke and sat up, glancing at Deathstorm,

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who lay sleeping in the other cell. Then she turned toward her dragon, who
lay against the door of the cell, with something like anger and hatred in his
eyes.
“Forest…” she trailed off and reached a gloves hand out toward the
dragon, who seemed to be called Forest. She finished hesitantly and slowly,
“Forest… His he?” She seemed to loose her thought again and looked at
her dragon friend thoughtfully.
He laughed, an empty cold laugh that contained no mirth or humor, “yea
Ryo. He tis the one who stoleth mine sister.” He ended with a growl.
The girl, Ryo, looked at Deathstorm again then slowly turned toward me,
her orange eyes glaring at me. I looked away, unable to hold that
penetrating orange gaze, as if the weakening glow of my own eyes made
me feel as if I could not hold a locked stare.
“Um… hail?” She said, sounding uncertain.
I glanced at her unhappily and offered a small nod. Her almost friendliness
caught me off guard seeing as I had been the one to ride the dragon that
had gotten her and her dragon captured in the first place. I watched her
out of the corner of my eye and was surprised when she grinned at me. I
was even more surprised when I noticed the sharp, pointed fangs that I had
grown to know so well. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand and I
raised an eyebrow though she couldn’t see my face. I looked at her again,
not being able to resist the urge and grinned back, though only
halfheartedly.
“What tis thine name?” She asked.
I blinked, my thoughts must have been blurry for I couldn’t remember
immediately, I looked up and muttered something silently then smiled as it
clicked, “Sheera.” I said, surprised at how strong my voice seemed.
She nodded and said, “I am hight Ryoka Wolfe of Ravynwake. In service to
king Sylvester and his queen, as well as a knight of the Dragon guard of
Ravynwake,” She paused, elbowing the dragon beside her. “And this tis
Forestdale, mine best friend and companion.”
Forestdale, in answer, nodded toward me before laying his head down
again wearily. I noticed that the glow in his eyes was faint and I frowned,
almost worriedly, feeling as if he seemed to be going though some great
pain causing his hope to drift, as mine had done since Drake had revealed

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his true evil intent. Ryoka sighed. I leaned back against the wall, half
squashing my wings but not caring for the pain was already so much with
the awful purple chains around their forcedly furled shape. I grimaced
uncomfortably as I noticed Ryo's gaze had travelled to my wings. She
seemed to notice and removed her gaze. For a while all that could be heard
was silence, which seemed to make Ryo awkward though I didn’t mind and
just wrapped the long elegant cloak closer around my cold body. Ryo's eyes
moved from side to side as she apparently looked at my cloak.
“Nice cloak.” She said suddenly and I looked away trying to forget the fact
that the cloak had been a gift from Drake. I couldn’t help the tears rolling
down my face as I thought about him, the brother I had lost or at least the
brother I had tried to hold onto but had been to weak and let go.
“Gramercy, it twas a gift from mine brother.” I said solemnly, almost
absently.
Ryoka was quiet, as if unsure how to respond. I rested my chin on my
knees, wrapping my arms around my legs and just sat, staring at nothing. It
was easy to see that the chains deadly purple power was slowly but surely
taking its effect on me and that phrase I had thought of so many times
seemed to have faded from memory, had it been “a warriors spirit”?
Perhaps, but it didn’t matter now. I was done fighting, mostly because
there was nothing left to fight for. My care for my own wellbeing was now
but a distant thought and I felt like the only thing left to care for was
Riverglow, even though I didn’t know if she was even still alive.
Ryoka's voice brought me back to the present and I looked up as she said,
“hey… wanteth me to see if I canst removeth thine shiny chains? Ye
looketh pained.”
“Yea?” I said in an unsure and hopeless tone, “though I’m nay sure if’n it
twill helpeth any.” I shrugged, only half caring. It was almost as if the deep
power in the chains had made me lose not only my strength but also my
will to live.
Ryoka scooted over and stood, brushing her gloved hands under her cloak.
Forestdale glanced over sharply though his gaze calmed and he stood
slowly, arching his back in a luxurious stretch before sitting down against
the bars of my cell. I stood, slowly and weakly stepping toward the bars. I
winced as I stretched my long black wings outward as much as possible,
which was not far for the chains were quite, and painfully, tightly forcing

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my wings to stay in curled position. I felt Ryo grip the chains behind me and
pull it gently, moving them around so as to slip them over my curving
wings. Suddenly she pulled the chain off of my wings and I gasped in relief
as that horrible aching pain slowly started to ebb. I stretched my wings out
to their full extent and felt the life seeming to come back into them. I
fluttered them slightly and sighed contentedly. Turning I saw Ryo staring at
them in awe and I smiled for the first time since Drake's turn.

{Notes}
“aw… ye twa art so cute!” Ryo declared, refuring to Deathstorm and
Crystalstorm.
“If'n ye wert nay mine best friend I woulst kill ye.” Forest muttered darkly.
“If'n there wert nay bars between us, she woulst already be dead.”
Deathstorm growled.
{Note: Rolf - “a warrior’s intention should simply be to grasp his sword and
to die, so that’s what I’m going to do”…. Or those are the words he speaks
with his dying breath.}
{Note: Sheera – “Rolf my be gone but now it’s my job to wield the sword he
left behind”}

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