Dragon Riders

Chapter 36: Beneath the Surface

Aspen POV:

Though my vision was blurred by my tears, I saw Orion carry Cade away and pass Serafina and Maya. Quickly wiping my eyes, I stood my ground and turned back to Inferno, who poised to strike the incoming Dragons.

"Now!" I ordered. At my command. Twenty Teffs and their Viys formed a perimeter around Inferno, Maya, Serafina and I. Inferno was obviously confused, but not worried.

"Oh no!" He acted. "Dragons! What will I ever do?"

"Don't worry!" I played along. "They aren't here to kill you! They're here to keep others from helping you!"

"What?" He bellowed.

"Maya!" I cued her. She cupped her paws together and began to pull them apart. Before her, a small ice ball formed. Inferno quickly sent a fireball at it, but a cool breeze of air put it out. Other Water Dragons were standing by, preventing it from being melted. As Maya pulled her hands apart, it expanded. When her paws were even with her shoulders, it was as big as her. She kept spreading her paws further and further apart until she could stretch no further.

The giant ice globe was still being pelted with fireballs, but they were being deflected by the other Water Dragons surrounding us. Maya released then swirled her finger in a circle. The top part was cut off in a perfect circle. She had created a delicate ice bowl. It was very thin, so she went to its side. She placed he palm flat on the surface and moved it back, pulling the edge of the bowl out and thickening it within. By the time she was done, the ice making the bowl was ten feet thick. She quickly went to the top and began to spew water into the top. Inferno finally decided that sending flames that way was futile and instead turned to mocking our plan,

"What are you doing? Making a bath? Do you really reek that badly? Well, I guess that happens when you sweat buckets here daily!" Serafina dove down to the volcano's edge and I leapt onto her back.

"It's not for me!" I proclaimed. "It's for you!"

"Actually," he informed me, "I am quite clean. I took a lava bath this morning and smell divine; I have this smokey musk that is just great!"

"Is that what that is?" I continued to stall as the bowl was only a fourth of the way full. "I thought something died and rubbed itself all over you!" His eyes narrowed as he pierced into us.

"Still stalling?" He spat. "Do you even have a plan or do you plan to insult me to death?"

"Oh trust me!" I assured him. "Zane has granted me quite the idea!"

"The Idea Dragon? Oh please!" He droned. "He is an immature child! The Dragon Keeper is stupid to think he actually grants good ideas, let alone any ideas!" This insult to the Dragon Keeper sparked a wave of growls and threats from our perimeter. "Oh shut up!" He bellowed. "Once I kill you all and take Octinia he will die along with Aspen here!" He glared at me, now eye level with him. The bowl was almost full. Maya just needed a couple more seconds. That's when Serafina stunned us all. She put her palm out towards Inferno and doused him with ice cold water.

Everyone's jaw dropped, including Maya's, Iris', Shade's, and mine. As he shivered in fury, I gawked,

"How did you do that?" She giggled at everyone's reaction.

"Remember how I told you Nature Dragons can harness all Nature?"

"Yes," I replied, still befuddled. "I've also read it from every Dragon scroll."

"Water is a part of nature!" She reminded the crowd present.

"Only truly powerful Nature Dragons can utilize it though!" Maya finished her thought as she added the last drop to the bowl. "Ready!" She flew back down and joined the perimeter. We turned to face Inferno, who was no longer ablaze. He glared back at us.

"You think a little shot of water can stop me?" With that he engulfed his feathers in flames once more.

"No!" I asserted. "But a lot will!"

"Mere water can not stop me!" He gloated. "I am the Fire King! Soon to be ruler of Octinia!" After he finished his bragging, Serafina lashed out at him with a rope of water. She lassoed his torso and added more water to ensure he could not wriggle free. "No!" He bellowed. "Release me! I will kill you! I will kill all of you!" He ranted as we pulled him towards us. Serafina glided up above the bowl, dragging him with us. "I will not be felled by a puny mortal!" He finished as he was right above the opening.

"Then get ready to be proven wrong!" I smirked as Serafina coated my hands with gloves of water. Maya threw me off of her, hard. I took a deep breath and pushed my arms out in front of me. My hands crashed into Inferno's chest and I forced him beneath the surface. He slashed at me with his claws actually succeeding in forming some deep cuts. The water soothed the pain as I shoved him down to the bottom of the bowl. Since a lasso could only pull him into position and not plunge him into the water, someone had to hold him down. That someone was me.

After he had wounded me five times, Maya wrapped his legs in solid ice. The ice,since it had a lesser density than the water, began to float upwards. I pushed it down with my foot, ensuring it would not carry him to the surface with it. Inferno continued to thrash, slapping me with his wings and peaking at me with his beak. As soon as he hit the water though, he was weakened and he was getting weaker. He struggled to free himself from the ice restraints now holding him, allowing me to keep him down.

When a minute had passed, his thrashing began to lessen. He was losing his ability to move. The flow of Oxygen to his brain had stopped. He was no longer able to make large scale movements, but he continued to shake his body, attempting to free himself. His eyes were still on fire, even though he was submerged in water. I could feel my chest starting burn as my lungs for air too.

After four minutes had elapsed, he grew still. I could feel my lungs on fire although I was immersed in water. My limbs were growing numb as I watched him stop shaking. Only his eyes moved. He searched the area and flickered to the sides where everyone had flocked to watch. At last, he looked back at me. His red met my blue, mixing to create a grayish purple. His eyes grew wide. I could see he had finally discovered his deeds were truly evil, not for good. The magnitude of his actions crashed upon him like a ton of bricks. He mouthed,

I'm sorry, Aspen and Axel! God, forgive me of my sins! Take me to you!

I forgive you! I mouthed back. He smiled, then his jaw dropped and water filled him. He shook as it entered his lungs. I grabbed his neck, trying to bring him to the surface, to save him, but I could not lift him. He became motionless. I released my grasp and he sunk to the bottom. His still eyes were glazed over, like those of Gwen. He continued to stare at me, with his widened, enlightened, and apologetic gaze. I used my last bit of energy to move down to him and close his eye lids. I put my feet to the bottom and pushed up with all the strength I could muster. I made it halfway then hung between the top and bottom. As the lights around me faded, I felt a strong grip take hold of me as it went dark.

I saw the light. Gwen, Lazaro, the fallen Viys and Teffs, the innocent citizens of Tura, and Inferno stood before me. Clothed in robes and shining with light, they smiled at me. A dove fluttered above them, as radiant as the sun. Beneath me, I saw the volcanoes fading away. As I reached them, they put their hands on my shoulders and pushed me downwards, back towards the disappearing landscape. I reached out to them and tried to shout, but found my voice was silenced. My eyes closed and the darkness took over once more.