Dawn's Light

Chapter 39

Verbena released a trumpeting roar into the cold air in her seemingly boundless energy, 'home! Warm caves and the familiar scents of an aaven!" She shook herself and released a plume of exhaled breath through her nose.

"That potion really energized you," Celia awed, then glanced back to the other dragon rider team. "Maybe we should slow down and let Xan and Irin catch up. I know we are leading them, but we cannot lose them."

Verbena crinkled her nose and snorted, 'but I wanna get back to the aaven and sleep with a blanket and drink warm water and bathe and not have snow on me at almost all times and talk to more dragons other than just Irin!'

Celia laughed a bit and lifted her left hand off of the harness handle and patted the dragon's side. After a couple of affectionate pats, Celia reached into the left saddlebag and recovered the compass from within the pouch.

The circular object's moving needle continued to point north. Celia glanced to the arrow's tail as it pointed due south, which according to the map, was the way to Rien from Zuin. "Hopefully we will get there soon," Celia glanced westward as billowing northeastwardly bound clouds continued to roll over the landscape like a scroll. "I also hope that Ahsa's magical aid will last until we get there."

'I still feel great,' Verbena swiftly replied as she glided for a few more moments so Irin could catch up. 'Irin got to sit around in a cart for a while so he can catch up to me.' She glanced back to Irin and waved her tail a bit in a childish taunt, then looked ahead and flapped her wings once for a boost of speed.

Celia sighed a bit, then gently laughed at Verbena's childishness as she placed the compass into the saddlebag. The human paused as her hand brushed against a bundle of dark cloth. The black blanket wrapped around and protected two spherical objects: the two rays of sunlight.

If Levi's journal recorded the last sunset and the theft of the sun's final glow properly, then only four crystal spheres of light existed. With the two hidden away in Verbena's saddlebags and the one in Guild Master Orthos's possession, the dragon riders only need one more ray of light.

However, the fourth one was under the protection of a black dragon. Celia glanced up to the stars and remembered how the black beast descended upon them under the cover of the dark sky. Even when the creature was below them, it was hard to distinguish in the darkness of the eternal night. In order to defeat the monster, or at least pass the creature, they needed to create a plan.

Celia took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she descended deep into thought. Perhaps a team of dragon riders could safely distract the monster while she slipped into the city. Celia hesitated after her thought, as it relied on a single important event: Guild Master Orthos had to let her be the one to enter Urre.

Celia shivered at the thought of what the Guild Master might do to her. She also had no idea whether or not she and Verbena would be praised as heroes or punished for breaking the rules. With a sense of dread, Celia reminisced on how she had practically abandoned her home in order to depart on the quest.

'I think I can see the mountains,' Verbena suddenly broke Celia's train of thought, 'It is still rather far off in the distance, but I think I can see the home in the distance.' An excited trumpeting noise rose from her throat.

Both happiness and nervousness welled up inside Celia as she drew upon her dragon's immense sense of sight. Sure enough, a small white mound rose from behind the horizon. Finally, her home was within reach.

Verbena flapped her wings and shuttered a bit in excitement, "we are almost there!" She roared again in a call out to the distant mountain.

However, for the time being, no reply rang out from the mountain during the clear night. The calmness and silence of the night both assured the female rider and increased her nervousness. "Almost...home," Celia exhaled, then determinately stared at the looming mountain in the distance. "Whatever happens, at least we will be together," a small smile crept across her face.