Elements Academy (Book One)

Chapter Five

     I stare at Chloe in complete, open-mouthed shock. "You found a what?" I demand in a low whisper. Dragons are only myths... right? Even for Elementals like me, this should not be real. But then again, a bus coming directly through a wall shouldn't be possible either, so I'm low on retorts. All morning cheerfulness vanquished, I gaze at my four friends. Deciding on whether to believe this or not, I sigh. "Better not let Amber know. She'll have our heads on silver platters for the Headmistress."

     "Don't I know it," Lydia replies uneasily. "Speaking of Amber, she's holding that session for first years in a few moments. Anybody heading down to watch?" We all shake our heads. I'm not really in the mood to watch Amber show off in front of the entire group of fire first years. Lydia lowers her voice to a soft whisper. "Maybe we can take Nicole to see the dragon."

     "Now?" Piper asks worriedly. "It's broad daylight, we're bound to be spotted!" But Lydia and Chloe are already on thier way in the opposite direction. I follow shortly after them, half-excited, half-nervous. I mean, if this thing is real, it could eat my head. That wouldn't be good. Piper sighs in exasporation, and hurries after us. Lydia looks around for anybody's watching eyes before ducking behind the clothing shop, then into the woods behind it.

     Chloe keeps looking around, her blue eyes shimmering with excitement, but Piper's face is another story. At least thirteen different looks of uncertainty cross her face. Lydia's almost as excited as Chloe as we break out into a full run away from the school grounds. Tree branches scrape my face, and roots threaten to trip me. Away from the school grounds, the woods are much colder causing me to shiver.

     Finally we slow down and begin to walk. The woods are quite creepy looking, with the low hanging bone-like branches. The trees back here have no leaves, as if the seasons suddenly changed. Chloe looks around the darkness of the woods in wonder. "Wasn't this dark last time..." She mutters. She closes her eyes and stops for a second. A flame began in the palm of her hand.

     With Chloe lighting up the way in the front, and consentrating hard to keep it going, we keep walking. Suddenly, the woods grow even darker, but much warmer. Chloe freezes dead in her tracks, and her gaze snaps up from the flame in the palm of her hand, making the fire go out with a whoosh, leaving us in complete darkness.

     A nervous small flame lit up the clearing again from Chloe's grip. Her eyes are closed tightly. Right behind us is a huge scaley muzzle. In the light of Chloe's fire, I can make out two huge nostrals, and smoke occasionally coming from them, warming up the place. The dragon is so huge that I can walk up it's nose if I wanted to.

     As Chloe's flame glows brighter, she opens her eyes as we keep our distance from the sleeping dragon. Looking closely I can see the whole form of the creature. It's pure black, covered in scars, and huge. I feel so tiny compaired to the beast, and my heart thunders loudly in my chest. I stumble backward, and nearly fall over.

     The dragon has huge spiney spikes rippling over its back and neck, and along thick tail that splits into two at the end. Both tails end with a scorpion-like stinger. Two scaley, huge wings rest proudly on the beast's back, and two horns come from its skull. It has four legs, and long sharp-looking claws bigger then me.

     I can only stare. "Whoah... That's... not supossed to be.... real..."

     Lydia chuckles. "That's what I thought at first too. We knew you wouldn't believe us unless we show you. We're fine as long as it doesn't wake up." 

     I just nod, watching the smoke roll from the dragon's nose. I wonder what dragon skin feels like, but I don't dare touch the beast. Surely it would gobble me up for dinner if it woke up. Me and my friends. "Why do you think it's out here? Do the Heads and the Headmistress know?"