Axel's Promise

XVIII

The morning sun rose yet again. Axel's eyes fluttered open; a strange shape appeared in his vision. Axel stood up and raised his weapon.

"Reveal yourself, creature!" Axel roared, which woke Fable up from a peaceful slumber. Fable sighed in annoyance. 

"Can you keep it down? I'm trying to sleep!" Fable looked around for what Axel was yelling about. "I don't see anything? Are you sleepwalking right now?" 

Axel quickly skipped over to Fable and turned her head in the direction of the entity he was screaming at. Fable saw it now. Fable sprung to her feet and took on a defensive stance. As the figure drew closer, it was revealed to be a dragon with someone riding on top of it. Axel peered over at Fable. 

"It's someone on a dragon," Axel inquired. "I hope it's a White Dove and not one of Caldrufini's men."

"Could very well be, Axel," Fable replied. "Maybe they're coming to finish us off."

"Let them come," Axel retorted. "If they're coming to finish me off, then I'll want to see them try." Axel spun his sword in his hand as the beings drew closer. The dragon started circling over them like a hawk before a voice came from it. 

"Hello! Are you two stranded?" The voice sounded human. "I know a place that isn't flooded! I will give you and your wolves a lift!"

"Identify yourself!" Axel demanded, his staff glowing red. "I will smite you!"

"Hey! Calm down there! I'm only here to help!" Said the voice. The voice then revealed itself to be a White Dove who was sitting on the back of the dragon. "I'm a White Dove, like you!"

Axel was dumbfounded; why was a White Dove riding a dragon? Axel needed answers, so he uttered this question. "Why are you riding a dragon? Where is your wolf?" 

"She was killed in the flood," The White Dove replied. "I...couldn't save her." The White Dove jumped down from his dragon and offered his hand to Axel for him to shake. "Let's get introductions out of the way. My name is Leo."

"Axel," Axel replied before shaking Leo's hand. Axel gestured to Fable. "That's my girlfriend, Fable."

"Hello there!" Leo replied, offering his hand to Fable. Fable gave Leo's hand a little shake before folding her arms. 

"So, how are you going to help us?" Fable asked. 

"Well, there is this village that resides in those mountains way over yonder," Leo replied before extending a pointing finger toward an array of snowy mountain peaks that stood like monoliths. "My dragon is strong enough to carry both of your wolves."

The dragon in question was a massive, one-hundred-foot-long beast with four wings, blue scales, red eyes, and a tail that ended with a long spike. The dragon brought itself up on its hind legs and gently cradled Chelly and Lobo in their arms as if they were mere puppies. Leo helped Axel and Fable mount the dragon, then the dragon took to the skies and set off for the village.

Axel would watch as the massive, flooded landscape slowly disappeared and changed into a winter wonderland. Snow flurries whipped by their faces as they flew higher and higher up; they were now higher than Frosted High Rise. 

"So, where are we going anyway?" Fable asked Leo, who didn't break his focus from what was going on in front of him.

"We're going to a place called Ice Storm Village. This place has never seen any weather other than snow and ice storms. Some say it's the coldest village in the Giant Realm," Leo stated. "I hope you've brought some warm clothes."

"I'm sure we can manage; after all, we've spent some time on Frosted High Rise," Fable replied. All we need is a little bit of magic and two giant wolves to keep us warm."