by Platt, S. P.
They were now out at sea and doing a wide sweep into the mountain that comes right up out of the sea. There were other mountains that were behind it but this one was the highest. Then Angel could see what was stuck to the side of the mountain a quarter of the way up.
Tish turned and looked at Angel and pointed. ‘Nirvana.’
Angel just looked he was speechless as he looked at what was getting larger by the minute. Stuck to the side of the mountain was a large castle a very large castle and attached to that on the right side was a very large Dragon Deck with cave. Then attached to that was a large tower and another Dragon deck, then the same again and again and again.
Angel taps his mother and yells at her. ‘How does it stay there, it’s so big you would think it would fall into the sea?’
‘Magic holds it and there are ten Dragon Decks with towers between each one and then at the other end is another castle. The Wizard School only use’s the castle at this end and uses the one Dragon Deck. The rest is out of bounds to all as it is dangerous.’ Awe in her voice as each time she sees it there has always been that feeling.
‘It’s just so incredible that anything like this could exist and stay stuck to the side like it does.’ Tish nearly didn’t hear him as his voice was so soft.
‘A lot of people over the centuries have asked that same question and have been told the same thing Magic, very powerful and old magic.’ Turning to him as she spoke.
The look on her face told Angel that she was just as in awe of it as he was. Mum is just like me. I wander if Aura can see this through my eyes. ‘Aura can you see this, Aura?’
‘I am stopped on a ledge looking at what you see, I had to land for the sight of it is something I have never seen before and I don’t think Grandfather has seen it before ether.’ She just sat where she was looking through his eyes.
‘Aura my mother told me they only use the castle and Dragon Deck this end for the school and that the other end is out of bounds. If you go to the other end you could use the cave at the far end Dragon Deck. Then when I get the chance I will be able to get to you and see you.’ Excitement in his voice.
‘I’ll go up and around and come in from the far side and look at the Dragon Deck at that end. You are right it would be a good place to make a home for me.’ She lifted off.
Angel could make out people on the Dragon Deck and they had not yet seen the dragons flying in. As they came in closer Nightwing started to get harder to control and Tish was fighting him. She got Nightwing to scream a warning call to get the wizards of the deck as they where coming in fast.
Next minute there were wizards running for the castle to get off the deck. Rho and Etha’s dragons were screaming now as well and Angel could see his brothers were fighting for control of their dragons as well. They had to veer off as the dragons were too agitated.
Angel held on for dear life as his mother fought and spoke to Nightwing to try and calm him down. It was working a little and allowed them to land on a deserted deck. The deck was bare but they still landed as far from the school as they could.
Angel could see Rho was first down and had his head to MoonTear’s head where he spoke calming words to her. It is working Rho is calming her down and so is Etha to MoonSkin. She has calmed down and now its mums turn to try and calm Nightwing before I get down.
‘Aura, I have landed, mum and my brothers are calming their dragons down. With all the magic in the air it is no wonder they are so agitated. The air is alive with magic; I can feel it tingling through me. It’s a weird feeling. How close are you to the Dragon Decks?’ He was hoping the magic here would not disturb there link.
‘I am close to it now and can see the castle at this end with the Dragon Deck beside it. It looks good so I will land and have a look. Can you see the deck and cave? It’s so large?’ She looked around as she showed Angel. It was a strange feeling she had about sharing her mind for that’s what it was.
‘Aura it looks great but, it feels funny looking through your eyes at what you’re seeing and you able to see through mine. I wander if anybody else has ever done it, maybe I might be able to find out here.’ I must go Gavrie is walking over to meet us, I will be with you when I can, bye?’ As he finished speaking to Aura he walked over to be with Tish as Gavrie come up to them.
‘Angel how are you today no more strange episodes I hope? Tish will you stay long as the midday meal is being prepared. That will give Angel a little bit of time to meet the other three who will be joining him in a special class.’ He stopped speaking as Tish quickly spoke.
‘Special class, I thought he would be going into a class with a lot of others kids?’ She looked a bit unsure as she spoke.
‘It's alright they are too young to go in the other classes as they are more advanced and at the moment I want Angel and the other three to practice together. The other students are at this time learning there independence and learning what their magic is and how it affects them.’ He was ushering them to the castle as he spoke of this to them.
‘As you know wizards are independent of each other and don’t share there magic. We like to learn our magic and what it does to us, so that when the time comes we know deep down what our best form of magic is.’ They arrived at the entrance to the hall while he was talking.
Angel as he entered stopped and just looked for he had never soon such a fantastic sight in all his life. There in front of him were four glowing arch’s leading into the dining hall. Then more glowing arch’s leading off the hall to other rooms.
Angel’s brothers were the same, for this was there first time they had ever been at the school as well. There eyes were just about popping out of there heads as they looked around. There were no candles or lamps for lighting, there where in stead glowing balls drifting in the air above the tables.
The dinning hall was not set out in long lines of tables but with round tables that would only seat about ten people. At the moment it was only half full so there were plenty of tables for them to choose from. Gavrie took them over to a table where three young kids sat.
Angel thought these will be the others whose magic has come on early. A boy and two girls sitting waiting for Gavrie to come. As we came to the table the three rose from there seats and greeted Gavrie and said hello to Gavrie’s guests.
Gavrie introduced them all. ‘Medwin, Shylyn and Maive this is Angel who will be joining you in your classes, he will be part of your group. With him is his mother and brothers who are Dragon Riders. Yes they are Dragon Riders, this is a first for us all so sit and eat and get to know each other.
Angel feeling shy nodded his head to them, and sat down. Angel's mother and brothers were talking to Gavrie and had left Angel to talk with those his age. ‘Hello how long have you been here?’
Medwin was first to answer. ‘I arrived yesterday but Shylyn and Maive had been here a day earlier still. Hi’
Angel smiled as he could see they were dying to ask him about his mother. ‘She’s a Dragon Rider and so are my brothers, there dragons are outside now. Did you hear them as we came in; they were a bit noisy because of all the magic in the air around here.
Shylyn got in before the others could. ‘We were not allowed outside because they said some Dragon Riders were coming. What’s it like to ride a dragon I’ve always wanted to ride a dragon but my mother and father would always say, only a very few wizards can ride a dragon and their riders must fight to keep control. Is that true?’
‘Yes that’s why we had to come around and again to land as the first time the dragons were to agitated. It was bad enough having to carry me, but with all the magic in the air around here it’s a wander they were able to land at all.’ He was starting to relax around them now that he was talking to them.
Now Maive had her turn to speak. ‘Angel how come you have magic, as there has never been anyone from a Dragon Rider family become a wizard before?’
‘I don’t know why, one day I was playing with the young dragons and the next minute they were attacking
me and I can never be around dragons ever again.’ All of sudden he thought of Aura as he spoke of young dragons.
‘Aura are you there and are you ok?’ there was a worried look on his face as he said this.
The others just thought it was talking about dragons putting the look on his face. He was trying to not show it for trying to talk to someone with your mind and talk and listen to someone else at the same time was very hard.
‘Angel I’m fine I’ve just caught something to eat so will not be able to talk for a while. I have to sleep my meal off so will talk to you after I wake up bye.’ There was smile on his face after hearing from Aura.
Speaking in a soft voice he began. ‘If you want after we eat we can go to the door and see the dragons if you like. I could not take you over to them as they would attack us, even me because they sense I now have magic, they no longer will let me come near them without my mother or brothers with me. I feel sad about that now but I don’t want to hurt the dragons and being near them upsets them so I won’t go near them.’
They eat very quickly and then asked Gavrie if they could go. ‘Go Medwin can you show Angel where your common room is. Your belongings are already up in your room so for the rest of the afternoon get to know your group and look around. Medwin, Shylyn and Maive will show you. I will see the four of you in the morning to start lessens and what will be expected of your all, now off with you.’
Angel gave his mother a kiss and said good bye to her and his brothers and they left the hall. Going to the main entrance they could see there were a lot of older kids there and so Medwin suggested they go to there common room and look out the windows from up there.
They climb the stairs leading up above the dining hall finding a long hall where at the end was their common room with the bedrooms on each side of it. There common room looked out over the Dragon Deck and could see the dragons very well.
Angel spoke as they poked there heads out the windows. ‘My mother rides the black he’s called NightWing, he’s a magnificent dragon and very proud and sometimes a bit short with the others. Now Rho-Marin’s dragon is the white she’s call Moontear and tries to dominate NightWing but he has nothing of it. Now Etha-Wyn’ dragon is the blue and her name is MoonSkin, she’s very particular in what she eats and how it is given to her. They’re all beautiful dragons and I love them, I’m going to miss playing with them and scratching behind there ears.’
Angel decided to ask some questions about the other decks to see if they knew anything. ‘What are the other decks used for, can we go and look at them?’
Medwin spoke before the girls could. ‘We’re not allowed there, no one is, the other decks are out of bounds. They say it’s dangerous in the old parts so no one is allowed through that door into the other decks.’
Angel was just about to ask another question when his mother and brothers came out heading for their dragons. They turned to look back and saw Angel at the window, giving a wave as Angel waved back. Turning Tish moved quickly to NightWing and climbed up on him. Angel’s brothers had to hurry to catch up after waving to Angel.
After they were all mounted Tish and Angels brothers gave one last wave and rose into the air in one smooth motion. Hovered there a moment and then the dragons gave a flap of their wings and speed off out over the sea. Angel and his new friends stayed there for a while watching the dragons getting smaller. After a while come from the window and went to sit beside the fire that was going in their common room.
The four of them spent the afternoon talking about dragons. Angel was amazed they loved dragons so much. They just kept asking questions one after the other. He could see in there eyes there was envy he had ridden on a dragon, also he could see the longing to be around a dragon. This started to make Angel think and wander if they were getting the urges to want to be around dragons.
‘Medwin do you get urges to want to be around dragons even though you are a wizard, how about you Shylyn and you Maive. Do you feel a longing for dragons; a longing that makes you hurt so much?’ Angel needed to know, if they were, as it's dangerous for them.
Shylyn nodded her head as she spoke. ‘The feelings have been getting stronger ever sense I got here to the school, what about the rest of you?’ speaking as she looked at Medwin and Maive.
They all nodded, wandering why Angel had asked. Angel looked at them for a time before speaking. ‘If it gets worse can you tell me and what it feels like? How do you feel right this moment, is the feeling stronger than it has been or is it in the background?’
Maive looking at angel started to speak before the others. ‘Why do you want to know, we are ok aren’t we? At the moment the feeling is just there and other times it’s very strong.’
The others nodding as Maive responded to Angels questions. Angel was smiling when they nodded about them only just feeling it. ‘It’s ok it’s just some of the young when they have been playing around dragons get the feelings and it comes and goes. If it gets worse you must tell me and I will see what I can do about it.’
At that moment there was the sound of little bells in the air all around them. Medwin was the first up before the others. It’s the evening meal time, that’s what the little bells are for, meal time. Come on I’m hungry all this sitting around has made me hungry so lets go.’
Going down to the meal Angel asked if they had ever been anywhere near dragons before there magic come on them. Medwin looked at the girls and then Angel. ‘When younger my mother was given a ride on one by a Dragon Rider for they needed her to create a spell for some reason and I was able to go out and touch the dragon, ever since I have wanted to be around dragons.’
Maive then spoke up before Shylyn. ‘Same thing happened to me with my father, he’s a strong wizard and they needed him. I was able to touch one as well and have wanted to all my life.’ Now Maive looked at them as she finished telling them.
‘Ever since my father disappeared with the Dragon Rider I have wanted to ride a dragon and be around them on the chance that one day I could try and find him. I have a Stepfather now but don’t like him.’ Shylyn a tear in her eye as she finished talking.
‘I just wanted to know as it might let me know why you want to be around dragons, so come on lets eat.’ He was eyeing up the food the young and old wizards were eating.
After the meal they went back to their room and Angel told them he would like to rest now as it had been a long ride and he was tired. Really he wanted to talk to Aura about what the others had told him, for he was worried for them.
Lying in his bed he called to Aura. ‘Aura are you awake, I need to talk with you?’
The sound of her thoughts showed that she was worried for him.
‘I am ok it’s my new friends that I’m worried about, they are showing signs of the urges to be around dragons and that can be dangerous as they will never have a dragon, so I fear for them. I really like them.’ She could feel the worry in her mind as he told her.
‘I will have to think on it after I get back from seeing Grandfather. I need to let him know where I am and how I am, as he is worried for me now I have found you and bonded with you. I will go tonight and I’m not sure how soon I will be back. If you can come and see the cave, have a look at it. It’s a really great cave, it goes in far but I use a little cave close to the mouth of the big one. It scares me a little going far into the big one.’ She showed him what it looked like.
‘Fly safe Aura and let me know when you get back so I can come and see you, I think I will sleep now as I’m tired, good night.’ After speaking with Aura he was very happy and drifted to sleep.
The next couple of days the headmaster Gavrie got them to practice the clearing of the magic channels. ‘Now the more you clear the channels the better the magic is so you go over and over the channels again and again. It helps you get to know your magic within yourselves and this you need to know very well.’ Leaving them to find a spot to practice he went off on other business.
Angel thought this would be a good time to go ov
er by the gate at the tower wall that separated the Dragon Decks. ‘Come on let’s go and sit by the wall over there at the tower. There is no one else there so it will be quite. We’ve got a pillow to sit on and be comfortable.’
They all nodded and headed off there, Angels thoughts on working out how to get away without anyone seeing him. I will have to see if the gate is open or if it’s locked and how to open it. The biggest problem might be getting away from my friends. It’s strange looking into the cave of the Dragon Deck I wander how far this one goes back; maybe I will have a quick look.
Going into the cave he starts to go to where he can see in the dark as to how far back it goes. Let’s see it’s so dark after coming in from the bright light so will have to look hard. There it is not that far at all just enough room to maybe gets two dragons in. So Aura’s one must be special, I’ll have to have a look.
Heading back to the others where they have made themselves comfortable, he sits and then work on there magic channels. ‘Do you work on the same channel or do you go past those and follow the path down deep into your body?’
‘I go the first level like the Headmaster says is necessary.’ Come Medwin's reply.
Now Shylyn looks at Medwin. ‘I am the same just what the head says is necessary.’
Maive Nods her head as she speaks. ‘He told us to follow the main large channel as this carries the main magic.’
Angel looked at each before speaking. ‘I feel we must go deeper as the magic is part of oneself and so you must clear all the way down as deep and as far as it goes. This I have been doing and my magic becomes clearer and easier the deeper I go.’
They look at him and are thinking about what he has told them. Before they ask him any questions he speaks. ‘Tell me can you feel magic anywhere around here?’
They look at him and shake there heads. Angel is thinking hard about what he asked of them. If they can’t feel the magic how sure am I its magic I feel all around me, what else could it be. There’s only one way to find out and that’s to get them to go deeper.