Dragon Riders

Chapter 26: Into the Fire Finally

Serafina POV:

All the birds were about the size of a large Dragon with brown feathers and piercing yellow eyes. Their feet had three toes, each topped by a five foot talon that could slice a sword in half. In one swift motion, all the Viys drew their weapons. Most chose bows and arrows so they wouldn't have to get to close to those fatal claws. All the Dragons took the fighting stance. Rocs were birds of prey after all, and they had just found a large meal.

All Hell broke loose as the birds swooped down to try and carry Viys away. Arrows whizzed everywhere and talons came a little too close for comfort. Aspen killed two immediately and was nocking another arrow when one swooped down to catch her. I summoned a vine and lassoed that bird around the neck. I quickly yanked back, choking it to death before it could free itself.

I turned to see Orion sending a wall of fire at one trying to get Cade. Gwen and the other air Dragons were shifting the breeze frequently so the Rocs would keep having to readjust, leaving them vulnerable for a moment. Earth Dragons used the many boulders to their advantage, hurling them at the massive birds like catapults. Shade was shocking the living daylight out of any Roc that came within a twenty foot radius of Iris or any surrounding Viy. Maya froze anyone coming to close to herself or Lazaro.

Another one swooped down towards Aspen, but successfully wrapped his foot around her. She shrieked as he lifted her up and away. Cade gave me a wide eyed frantic look as I took off.

You want a chase, huh? I teased mentally. A chase you'll get. He flew straight at a mountain then banked right at the last second. I banked left and cut him off. He clawed at me with his free foot, but I was too fast. As I wrapped a vine around his ankle, I called out to Aspen. Are you okay?

I'm fine, she assured me. Just keep him from getting to the mountain to your left. I see a nest and I have a feeling that I am the main course for some hungry baby beaks. I knew she was fine if she was still able to make this situation entertaining. As I cut off the Roc from escaping to his nest, I peaked below to see that the other Rocs had retreated. Everyone was starring up at us. Orion, Gwen, Shade, and Maya were taking off to come to the rescue.

Aspen, when they start to attack the bird, I want you to do what you did to Axel. I caught a glimpse of her nodding in her confinement and knew she got the message. Orion made a fireball and Shade zapped it with lightning. Together, they sent it flying at the Roc. "Now, Aspen!" I commanded. She freed her arm and stabbed one of the Roc's toes. He released on instinct and Aspen began to plummet towards the jagged cliffs.

"Aspen!" I heard Cade and several other voices shriek from below as I dove. Cade's voice was filled with terror and laced with worry and regret. I leveled out beneath Aspen's falling, but not flailing, body. She adjusted herself into a sitting position as she fell further and further and got closer and closer to me. She angled herself and landed perfectly in my saddle. Orion arrived next to me and I realized he dove when I did. He was diving beside her as she fell just in case I or she missed. We descended together, my body still shaking with fear.

When we landed, Cade leapt on top of me and pulled Aspen into a hug. They embraced for several minutes, sobbing with one another. Cade was so scared that his lady was going to die, he was still shuddering even in her arms. Aspen was terrified out of her wits that she was going to die, so she cried tears of joy that she was still with him. Orion stood next to me as I steadied my shaky body and stabilized my wobbly knees. My lip quivered and my whole face trembled as I put my head against his shoulder and cried all my feelings out.

I cried the tears that were kept in as I watched the Roc take Aspen away. I cried for the moment Aspen was falling. I cried because Orion cared enough to dive beside her. Lastly, I cried because she was okay. After about ten minutes, the sobbing ceased and everyone went back to sleep. With Aspen safe, in Cade's arms, I was able to lay down. As they drifted off, I put my wing protectively over them. As I succumbed to unconsciousness, I felt strong arms wrap around me. In my last waking moment, Orion's eyes met mine as they shut and I fell into a deep sleep.

I awoke with the sunrise to find Aspen and Cade on my turned up side, watching the beautiful star coming up over the rocky terrain. The gold, purple, orange, and red hues framed each mountain perfectly, creating a picturesque panorama of the horizon. Orion was also awake and felt my breathing speed as I began to become conscious. Aspen heard my thoughts once more and slid down with Cade. At that moment, Iris rose and began spitting out orders,

"Everyone up! We have a long day ahead of us. The path goes up over the second highest mountain in the range. I want to be over it and back on the flat path by sunrise tomorrow! I counted as you all slept and everyone is here, so let's get going! Shade and I will be in the front today!" They joined as at the head of the group as we hiked up the mountainside. When the moon rose and the sun set, we were at the top of the mountain. Iris let us take a break to eat and watch the sun set over Lyo.

The sun melted over the plains, causing the purple and red to spill out over the horizon. After the sun disappeared behind the ruins of Tura, Iris began our trek down the mountain. When the sun rose, the last pair stepped down off the mountain. We were now officially, three fourths of the way through our trip. The path began to curve towards the west, where the moon had just hidden beneath the horizon. We took an hour break then set off again. After five more days passed, we reached the end of our journey. The clouds covering the view dispersed and we saw the volcanos reaching up towards the sky. We had finally arrived at Eranik.

Inferno's Fall jutted up into the sky like a lone, jagged mountain. Lava poured from it's mouth as it churned within. Smoke rose from all the volcanoes, clogging our tracheas and making us wheeze and cough. The ground was entirely igneous rock, having formed from dried lava. Nothing grew; nothing was green. There was no fauna to be seen either. Nature did not exist in this wasteland. Having taken two weeks and two days to get here, we had six days to get to the end of the volcanoes.

Out of the frying pan, Aspen thought.

And into the fire, I finished.

Literally into the fire, she joked. I rolled my eyes at her humor in the face of death bur could feel her fright building within her.