The Silver Reckoning

Chapter 23: Confliction

"Do you really have to do this alone?" the concern laced through the lightning drake's voice.

Silver smiled at him and softly nudged his muzzle with her own, "I'll be fine Zepos. You have to trust me."

"But... you just got back..."

They were sitting at the entrance to Sky Mountain as Silver prepared to leave once again. It was the day after they had the meeting, and Zepos had been nearly begging for her to either stay or let him come with her. She found it rather sweet, but a little annoying at the same time. Yes, she had just arrived back, but this trip would also give her a chance to get her head around everything that had happened. She couldn't do that with him around.

"And I'll be back before you know it. I won't be gone as long as before. It'll just be there and back. Two or three weeks max," she said.

He hesitated, before sighing softly, "Fine... fine. Just be safe, please."

"I'll try my best," she smiled.

They looked up to see Retrix approaching with a group of five other dragons with him. They had planned that for the first small stretch of the journey they would travel together. The Himalayas were on the way after all. Previously they had avoided the large mountain range because it was a very difficult area to fly through. That's what they had been told anyway.

Zepos looked at the group mournfully. He had wanted to join them as well, but he had been tasked with another job. While they were away Zepos and another group of dragons would be scouting the borders of China for the next few weeks. Iraliene had set up a group of lightning dragons that could go around and free others from A.O.D.H, while being relatively safe themselves. But they weren't dew to leave for another day or so.

Silver turned to look at the group of dragons that had been tasked to Retrix. It was a rather diverse group, with an acid, a life, a mind, fire and a wind. She blinked in surprise when she recognised the wind drake. It was West. He grinned his cocky smile when he saw her look.

"What?" he said, "Aren't I allowed to come?"

"I just... didn't think you would want to," Silver replied.

"I've been stuck underground for the better part of my life Silver. I'm not gonna' pass down an opportunity to travel, especially to the highest mountains in the world," he stated.

"Fair enough," she chuckled.

"You ready to go?" asked Retrix.

She nodded her head. Giving a final smile to Zepos, she launched into the air, followed by the rest of the dragons. They were quick to rise high into the sky, catching the strong updrafts that circled near the top of Sky Mountain to propel them forward. The illusion that had surrounded Sky Mountain had long since been broken, and they had no use for it anymore. A.O.D.H knew where they were regardless. All they could do was prepare for another attack.

Silver looked back at the dragons following her, and smiled. It was good to have them around, but she was looking forward to travelling on her own. The group would travel the first day together, then they would split up, heading in their separate directions. That was the idea anyway. The dragoness looked forward again with a sigh, just taking a chance to enjoy the wind against her wings.

* * *

Once they were out of the mountain range the winds changed once again. The updrafts and gusts that were common in those sorts of places disappeared, and they found themselves flying lower to the ground then before. In front of them was a long plain, mixed with forests and the occasional town. Up in that corner of China the population was spread thin.