A Dragon Rider's Element

Stepping Stones ( 25 )

He's in pain.

The Athena's words echoed in my head until Ty returned with the others. I watched him closely as he walked. I grew angry at myself as I saw all the signs I was blind to before. His is beautiful eyes now look grey instead of their normal electric blue. The color had faded from his face leaving him looking sickly pale. Yet he still wore his warm smile making him looked like nothing was wrong.

The others fall for his cover as they returned. Alex and Ray made their way over to me.

" She lives", Alex yelled as he threw his hands in the air.

They both laughed as they playfully cheered for me. I smiled back at them and laughed along, but Ty never left my thoughts.

" It takes a lot to kill me I guess." I laughed.

"Well, I'm just glad that you're safe." Roy smiled as he patted me gently on the shoulder.

"Me, too", Alex repeated as Ty and Jason returned.

The team gathered around the dying fire as Ty spoke.

"Now that we're all here, we have to plan our next move. Are there any suggestions?"

For a moment no one moved then Roy started to raise his hand but stopped and put it back down. Then Alex opened his mouth to speak.

" Well, so far we have only been on the defensive and we haven't made any move against them yet. I think it's time we did.", Alex stated.

"Okay, just one problem with that Genius. We don't know where he is.", Jason argued.

"True, but I think I may know someone who could help with that.", Ty smirked.

"Don't you just have all the answers." Jason groaned.

"I try. We can go to Orthrus."

"Who's that?" Roy asked.

"He is an immortal deity. He can answer any question that a person asks him. But a person can only ask one question."

"Great. Where is he?" I asked.

Ty went silent at the question as he tried to think.

"Guess he doesn't have all the answers after all," Jason whispered in my ear.

I fought the voice in my head telling me to punch him as Ty answered.

"I don't know. Orthrus is always moving. Making him incredibly hard to track down, but Zeref found a way to find him so we can too."

"And how do you suppose we do that?" Jason questioned.

"Well I don't know how Zeref found him, but I do have a theory of someone who may know where Orthrus is," Ty stated.

"If someone knows where Orthrus is why wouldn't Zeref go to them?", Roy questioned.

"Because this person is the one thing he's scared of... An Elder Dragon. Zeref wouldn't go near any of them without a good cause especially Tenaglia, the Queen. "

"Great, now do we know where she is?", Jason asked sourly.

"Yes", Ty answered simply.

"Where?" Jason asked shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not sure yet, but Element riders have the ability to find the Arch dragons. Because we're the closest to them in the bloodline."

"That's so cool." Roy fanboyed.

"Alright, you guys pack up camp. Larisa and I will find Tenaglia," Ty said as he stood up.

The others got up and disputed out and started packing up the camp. I stood up but stopped as pain shot up my side. I hunched over and held my side when a hand entered my view. I looked up and Ty's pale face smiling down warmly at me with his hand out for me to take.