He rose to his feet as she arrived, greeting her good morning. Listening to her, he simply nodded. “As I said before… I don’t think another week, month, or year of practising and training will help improve our chances. We have trained most of our lives, Will will succeed, or we will not. We have to move forward.” Lowering himself back lower to the ground so she could access the saddle.
As she mounted, another Dragon would descend, and address them both. “Kael, and Victoria.” the Dragon would study them a bit, “It is up to every rider and Dragon when to take the trial, and the trial is simple. Enter the Forbidden zone, travel to the old Capital. Bring something back that proves that you made the trip. Simple enough to say, but as you well know many have gone and not returned. You will be alone, no help will come. If you return, as always you do not mention anything of the trial beyond what I just said. It is for you to experience and learn. Do what you must to return, and you will both earn your place as a Dragon and Knight. Be well, and I pray to see you two return successful.”
That Dragon nodded to them both, as another Dragon descended and acknowledge them both, “I will escort you to the border, once you go beyond, you are thus on your own.” As he then took to the air, Kael stretched his wings with Vikoria on his back, “And we are off.” He stays silent as he follows the guide. They would fly silently for around an hour as the terrain below them would get thicker and thicker, finally they would reach the border, the forbidden land. The forest below them was almost impossibly thick, even approaching the border, the magic felt different. Their guide would pause. Flying in place, he would circle around, “Be well you two.”
Alone now, finally, away from all authority. “He we go” he would say, as they flew across the border, he did not understand how, but the magic was different, if not, slightly tainted. It was still magic, but slightly wrong, and being surrounded by it made even flying feel like he was now flying through water. Flying onward, even struggling now, yet he would spot them out of a corner of his eye. First one, then two, four, small discs, floating, floating towards them. He tried to speed up, but they effortly kept up. Soon surrounded, they floated along silently with them, then suddenly they opened. A light shone from them, and the light brought pain. It did not burn, leave a mark, it simply hurt. Clothes, scales, armour, did little to stop the pain. He could not lash out at them, as they floated perfectly with them, keeping pace as he flew fast or slow, and down was the only open path, and so he flew down. The dense forest beneath them, landing would be painful, and crippling if not lethal. Yet a single almost perfect opening was there in the forest. As soon as they descended beyond the trees, into the clearing, the spheres left, almost like they had been driven to that clearing. That feeling would be reinforced, as scattered around that clearing was remains of a couple other tents, and structures from past challengers, they were not the first here. It seemed flight was out of the question, but there seemed to be little danger here right now, and the small sound of flowing water, would suggest that this is where they were to make their camp.
On the ground, Keith was annoyed, the pain he had felt was severe, but seemingly temporary, the knowledge that flight was going to be prohibited, was far more annoying and frustrating. “How did you fare?” he asked, clearly frustrated, “Let us set up camp here, so I do not have to carry this stuff any farther. It will take time to get our bearings.”
Suddenly a bit of panic seized him. Whatever those spheres were, had sapped him of a lot of his stored magic. Or maybe it was the way the magic felt here. Yet he only had days of magic left. Yet as he lowered himself to the ground to let Victoria off his back, her magic levels were relatively unchanged, he did not have a chance to see if she had used anything during the flight. There was water here, and it was dangerous to fly. His eyes stared at Victoria, he had to get magic from her, more than she could give. His plans had not changed, perhaps his motivation for them had, but he would still take her tonight.
Topic: Dragon Rider (Derick and RisqueRed) (Read 439 times)