Aiyana

Chapter fifteen - Freya

Freyan border
Freya, Freyan Mountain path

Lydia Hollow

A thump subtly shakes the ground, stopping me in my tracks. “Woah, what was that?” Elara asks, summoning her ice sword. We all look around for the cause of the sound, but there’s nothing. I look at Dorian, and notice his ears are folded back on his head. “Dorian, what do you hear?” He glances at me before his eyes narrow in on the path ahead. “There are about three of them…” he grumbles. “But they’re… different.” my heartbeat quickens and I scan the trees again.
Then suddenly, there’s a high-pitched screech, painfully piercing our ears. I hear Dorian growl through the screeching, realizing that his ears are ten times more sensitive than ours. I extend my right hand to the side, and summon my Sage Spear and ready myself for a fight. But as I ready myself in my guarded position, my mind reels in shock and worry. It’s a dragon, I tell myself, how are we supposed to go up against a dragon? The screech stops, and the world falls silent again. We all exchange stressed and confused glances, all of our weapons summoned. I don’t even know which direction the screech came from, because the sound consumed the forest. I see Dorian knelt on the ground, his ears folded tightly to his head. “Dori,” I approach him and gently place my hand on his upper back. “You okay?” He looks up at me, his expression pained. He nods quickly, and grabs onto my arm as he stands and his ears twitch quickly as he glares towards the forest. “Dorian?” Elara hesitates behind us. Her voice has a tone of worry I rarely hear from her, causing my anxiety to spike up. Dorian glances over his shoulder at Elara, and then down to me. Then he hisses a curse in Elfish and walks off towards a Freyan tree. My worry skyrockets as he walks away from us, my heart leaping into my throat. “Dorian, wait,” I quickly rush after him as he slumps onto the ground against the dark gray trunk. I kneel in front of him, my eyes wide from the adrenaline. He looks up at me for a moment, before looking over to his right at the path. His eyes flicker red for a moment before they meet mine again with intense warning. “We need to go back.” he states, firmly with caution. I nod quickly. “Okay.”
His eyes narrow on my mouth, and then he looks at the path again with wide, flickering eyes. I pause. I glance over my shoulder at the path to make sure there isn’t a raging dragon, before returning to him. “Dorian,” I say, an attempt for his attention, but he doesn’t react. I frown. “Dorian,” I say again, more firmly, but still no reaction. I wave my hand in front of him, and his eyes follow that movement, then glue to my face. I lower my hand, and immediately understand. He can’t hear… I realize, with horror. “Lydia, what’s wrong?” Elara anxiously asks behind me. “Um,” I murmur, staring at Dorian and trying to think up a solution. “Lydia,” she demands. I finally look over my shoulder, and see Elara standing with her ice sword in hand, Devan on the ground with his Bow, Inara holding Remi with one arm while her other is outstretched with light green light in her hand and Onibi with her altered Coren curved blades; all staring at me. I look back at Dorian, my eyes wide with worry. I raise my hand, quickly motioning for him to stay, then stand when he nods and I meet the other’s anxious stares. “His ears are ten times more sensitive than ours,” I worriedly explain, “he can’t hear right now.” All their eyes widen as I explain, and they glance at Dorian behind me before looking back at me. “Is…” Elara hesitates, “is it permanent?” I consider her question thoughtfully before eventually shaking my head. “No, I don’t think this is permanent.” I sigh heavily, frustrated, and press my fingers to my temples and close my eyes. “It’s not convenient, though,” I groan quietly. Everyone’s silent for a while, until Inara hums. “That dragon… is it…?” I hear her implication and nod. “Yes. it’s infected. And who knows how many are…” I answer. I look up at the ground from my hands. “Dorian told me that we have to go back…” Devan raises an eyebrow. “‘Go back’? You mean give up?” I shake my head. “No, we’re not giving up,” I say, glancing at the trees around us. “We’re going back. We’re tracing our steps, and finding a new path…” my words trail off as I realize that the path is only one way. Elara, as if sensing my distress, grabs hold of my shoulders and looks me in the eyes. “We can’t go back. The only way is through.” I nod slowly at first, but then nod more confidently, and I return to Dorian. “Dorian, can you hear me?” He looks up at me, his ears focusing towards me and my words but I don’t see any understanding on his face. I sigh worriedly. His eyes soften as he sees my worry on my face and in my eyes, and he reaches up and grabs my upper arm gently. I look at him, and he offers a small, reassuring smile. I manage a small smile back, then point up, motioning for him to stand. We rise and I stare off into space, my eyes on the ground, trying to think up something.
My thoughts are cut off as Dorian’s head snaps toward the path, and thumping rattles the ground. I struggle for balance, holding onto Dorian for support. I lower my head, in an attempt to protect myself, until I feel Dorian suddenly pulled from my grip. My eyes widen as I hear a flap, and a thump, and then Dorian shouts. I look up, my hands reaching for him until I freeze, my eyes locked on Dorian and a dark red dragon’s talons around his shoulders. The dragon is off the ground, and its nose is pointing upwards as it flies up with Dorian in its grasp. “Dorian!” I shout, as he shouts, “Lydia!” at the same time, unable to hear my shouts. My heart tightens, and I feel as if a part of me has been stolen. My knees buckle and then slam onto the ground with a thump that I feel in my bones.
Devan flaps his wings in preparation to fly after him, but I strongly disagree with this plan. “Devan, no! Stop!” I shout, my voice frantic, pulling everyone’s eyes back to me. Devan’s wings quickly fold behind his back, and he moves to help me stand. I hold onto his arm as I steady myself, staring up at Dorian in the dragon’s hold flying further and further away. “It’s getting away!” I hear Onibi exclaim, and I want to say back really? sarcastically but hold it back, as I’m not thinking clearly right now. I take a deep breath and step back, releasing Devan as I steady myself. “Lydia,” Elara frantically shouts. “Lydia, what do we do?” The anxiety in her voice only adds to my fear and worry and feeling of abandonment. “Just hold on! I- I’ll figure it out, I just-” I groan in frustration as I walk aimlessly around the path area, muttering frantically to myself.