Lilly Lionheart. The Lost Crown

Chapter 16

Lilly looked nervously as a dark red dragon landed in the middle of the camp. She stood close to Diamond and kept her eyes on the dragon. She was surprised at the number of dragons that landed and took in a deep breath. 

"Brother, how are you?" Leo asked. 

"Good day to you dear brother. I heard the dragons cry and had to come and investigate I was surprised to find you here," he asked. 

"There is a royal crystal dragon, that one's brother to be exact that build his nest in this area. Hunter attacked them and he came for help when we were about to cross the border. When he came asking for help. She arrived before I did and fought the hunters they almost got away with a golden egg," Leo said. 

"Almost, where is this?" he asked. 

"He is hidden within the mountain pass," Leo said. 

"I told them not to go there. We have been having an increase in hunter activity. You go watch over the pair and report if you see the hunters again," the prince ordered. 

"Yes sir," they replied and took off. 

"So who is this anyway?" he asked. 

"This is Lilly Lionheart Avalon's dead princess that somehow survived. Her dragon is Diamond who is also surprisingly Thunder's mate," Leo said. 

"Good day, your highness," Lilly did her best to show respect. 

Leo smiled for a moment seeing Lilly greeting his brother. "Good day to you as well, if I may ask how did you survive all these years?" he asked. 

"I have been calling the forbidden forest my home. It's where I met Diamond my dragon," Lilly said. 

"Did you say the forbidden forest, how I thought they said all the eggs were evacuated?" he asked. 

"I don't know but I am heading that way so I will check to see if there is any more. Maybe there are others that have been missed," Leo suggested. 

"Report what you find as soon as you're done with that. Those eggs will be returned to us," his brother demanded. 

Lilly felt something was off with the forest and knew she should warn Leo to be on alert but just as she was about to Lilly heard Diamond growling. Lilly turned around and knew there was a dark creature close by. 

"Diamond what is it?" Lilly asked. 

"A dark dragon and a powerful one. He is stronger than Duke, you should tell the prince to move that pair of dragons hiding. This one will kill them," Diamond said. 

"Leo, you need to move those dragon eggs. There is a dark dragon close by and he is stronger than Duke. They will die if they stay where they are," Lilly said. 

"Wait what, are you sure?" Leo asked. 

"Yeah, he is close and coming fast," Lilly shouted. 

Diamond took off into the sky heading toward the dark dragon. "Diamond come back you don't stand a chance on your own," Lilly shouted but she knew they needed to bye time somehow. 

She took off after her dragon but Leo grabbed her arm, "Leo let go, if we don't distract him those dragon eggs will be destroyed and the golden one is the most important one," Lilly said. 

Thunder took off after Diamond and Lilly closed her eye, "Force of nature I beg you to lend me your power and help me defeat this dark dragon," Lilly shouted she raised her hand in the sky and a call in the distance could be heard. 

Lilly saw Diamond circle around and she knew they didn't do much. "Diamond what do you see?" Lilly asked. 

In her mind, she saw the picture of a dark dragon bigger than she has ever seen. "He is a giant compared to Duke," Lilly whispered. 

"What is it, Lilly?" Leo asked. 

"It's definitely a dark dragon and he is almost twice Duke's size," Lilly replied not knowing how to defeat such a big dragon. "She is right sir we followed the dragons do not dare go any closer to him," a dragon rider said as he landed. 

Closing her eyes she felt the energy of the forest around her. She felt the power of the earth and the power of the air around her. She felt her bond with Diamond and she felt the ancient gathering but in the distance, she felt an even older guardian watching over her. "Call and I will answer but only do so if you are sure you can defeat him. That is your test princess of Magica," the voice said in her head. 

Looking at Leo she said, "we can't leave defeating him is our next test, Leo." 

"I know I heard her," Leo said. 

"Diamond come here," Lilly called. 

"What are you doing?" Leo asked. 

"I need to see it for myself, he's not flying so it's a ground dragon sky might be useful but it could be a trap. I need to be sure," Lilly said. 

Diamond landed and Lilly mounted her dragon that took off heading towards the dark dragon. Lilly could see at a distance something is wrong. "He does not behave as a dark creature should behave, you don't suppose we can purify him without fighting him do you," Lilly asked Diamond. 

"Land on the cliff above him, I need to take a closer look," Lilly said. 

"That's dangerous, if he fires at us we don't stand a chance," Diamond said. 

"It does not matter we still need to try," Lilly said. 

Diamond landed and Lilly moved as quietly as possible closer and closer to the dragon. She saw how old he was and realized he was at his end. Someone took advantage of him. Looking around she saw his wings she felt his heavy breathing. She heard his heart slowly disappearing. 

She knew he was dying but she felt a will inside the dragon, a will to be free one last time. "We need to purify him he won't fight us," Lilly told Diamond. 

Closing her eyes Lilly raised her hand preparing herself for the massive job ahead of her. "Diamond tell Thunder to stay close by I don't think they can help but they need to be ready I might have to use all my power," Lilly said. 

"They said to be careful and they are close by watching. The pair of dragons and their eggs have been moved they are out of the way," Diamond said. 

"That's good now I need to focus," Lilly said.