Dragon Rider (DragonMage Saga)

by Platt, S. P.

  Medwin looked at him and tried to work out how to clear the fire around him, and then he smiled at Angel. ‘I have an idea and hope it works so get ready I will see if this spell will stop it.’

  Medwin casts his spell and just above his head appeared a big bubble of water. Medwin cast another and all of a sudden the bubble burst and this large amount of water poured down over the fire enveloped shield. There was a great hiss as the water hit the fire and flowed around it and down to the ground.

  Next minute Angel was drenched in water as his shield collapsed releasing him from it. Maive and Shylyn all of a sudden burst into laughter as they looked at a drenched Angel. The look on Angels face told them he was not amused. They tried to stop but couldn’t and to top it off Medwin started to laugh as well.

  Angel looked at them his face showing he was not happy but then he could see the funny side and started to laugh with them. They all just sat and laughed, with their dragons laughing with them in there minds.

  ‘Ok I think that should be enough and now we have got to find out what happened that I could not clear the fire off my shield or cast a spell while I was in raped in it. I think we are going to have to ask Gavrie what happened. He will know that we will try things with our shields to see what happens so I think when we get back or with the lesson tomorrow we ask him what happened.’ Angel looked at his friends as he finished talking and moved over to try and get some sun to dry out a little before they head back to the school.

  ‘Well at lest we found out now and not when we try to attack the Renegade. What if we had attacked the Renegade and he hit us with a bigger fire ball and it enveloped us. We would have been fried for we could not have done anything to try to save ourselves. All the Renegade would have had to do was wait for our shields to fail and our magic to weaken and we would be dead.’ Medwin had a worried look on his face as he thought about what he had just said.

  ‘Come I think we had better think on this and see if we can’t work out what happened for Gavrie never told us about this . I just hope it’s not just us it’s doing it to, or me that it has done it to. Do you lot want to try and see if it does it to you, I actually think it might be a good idea. So who wants to be the guinea pig, we need to find out and whoever it is better be prepared to get wet?’ Angel looked at his friends and Shylyn stepped forward and moved out onto the deck away from the others.

  ‘Come on hit me with a couple and let’s see what happens?’ She stood there and waited a rye smile on her face as she waited for the fire balls to hit.

  Angel looked at Medwin and he shook his head and Angel nodded and then looked at Maive and she stepped forth. She looked at Shylyn and fired two balls as quick as she could. The balls of fire hit Shylyns shield and did exactly the same as Angel.

  Shylyn looked at them through a fiery haze as she tried to cast a spell and tried to get rid of the fire shield. ‘I am having the same problems, I can’t cast a spell, I can see the pattern in my mind but it will not work. I think you had better wet me so I can get out of my shield.’

  Medwin did what he did to Angel and cast a bubble of water above her and then popped the bubble. The water went over the fiery shield and the fire went out just like Angels. Once the fire was out the shield disappeared and water went all over Shylyn.

  Standing there wet she spoke to Angel. ‘Well we now know it’s not you and so I am now standing here just as wet. Angel what are we going to do about that.’

  Shylyn had an evil twinkle in her mind as she and Angel cast a spell putting bubble of water just above Medwin and Maive’s head. The next moment before they knew what Angel and Shylyn had done the bubbles burst and water poured down over them.

  Angel and Shylyn just stood there laughing as they looked like drowned rats. Medwin and Maive looked at them with surprise after they had been hit with the water. Maive looked at them as she spoke in a downhearted way. ‘What did you do that for?’

  ‘Well there was no point in just the two of us going back wet, we just thought you too might like to join us, we wouldn’t want you two to feel you missed on some fun now would we?’ Shylyn had a big smile on her face as she told them.

  ‘Come on you can see the funny side of it can’t you?’ Angel smiled and walked over to them. ‘I think we had better get back and out of these wet clothes so come on.’ He turned and headed for Aura who was just sitting watching them play their games.

  Angel climbed up onto Aura and Shylyn climbed up onto Star. They looked at Medwin and Maive who still looked a bit peeved. They headed over to their dragons and mounted them but not before getting a last word in.

  ‘We want forget this, we owe you big time.’ As Maive finished telling them a smile broke over her face and Medwin did the same.

  ‘The smile doesn’t mean we are joking we’ll get you two for this.’ They all started laughing as they rose into the air heading back to the school.

  Contents

  The Shield Weakness

  By the time they got back to the deck where they usually leave the dragons, they were all dry. The weather is normally very hot and dry, but they get a lot of thunder storms coming through because of it. Flying on their dragons in the light gowns they wear, they soon dried out. They weren’t the best clothes for flying but it was all they had.

  Normally a Dragon Rider will wear leather pants with leather sandals and their tops are generally a light leather shamus with short sleeves. They have a belt to hold the pants up but are also used for holding pouches. These pouches would generally hold ointments and special tools for cleaning their dragons.

  Angel and his friends not letting on about them riding dragons don’t have these tools or ointments. They try to make do with what they can find, and tools for cleaning between the dragons’ feet, are hard to find. They are happy as their dragons are in good condition and don’t seam to have any of the lice or ticks that dragons sometimes get.

  Angel did happen to notice at times, they were very quiet but the dragons never said anything to them. Angel did have a suspicion at what it was but waited, for they needed to tell them when they felt ready. In the mean time they tried to make the dragons happy when they could feel those times coming on.

  Getting back just in time for the evening meal they went right in when they come up from their secret room. Finding a seat they dug right into their meal and had big heaped platefuls, for they found them selves hungry.

  Having finished their meal they took dinks up to their room where they sat and talked about what they were going to do. Angel looking a little worried. ‘When we see Gavrie in class tomorrow we need to talk to him about the shield and what has happened when we tried it. There must be something we are doing wrong.’

  ‘We’ll also have to look at the book of Legends before the library misses it. Also I think we are going to need to keep looking in the library up in those top shelves for books that might help us. As that seams to be the place where they hide books they do not want students to look at.’ Shylyn moved around trying to get comfortable.

  Medwin spoke before any others could. ‘We should look in the library also for anything on the shield and not being able to cast magic from within it.’

  ‘Maive, do you want to get the book of Legends so we can see what it says about the Renegades. I think it time we saw what is in that book.’ Angel poured himself another drink while they waited.

  Maive returned very quickly and they once more settled themselves down for a reading session. ‘Ok let’s see what the index in the book says. 1, Renegades a few facts. 2, Renegades where they come from, 3 one possible reason for why they went that way, 4 what are their motives, 5 the main legend of the Renegades, 6 what is a Dragon Mage. That’s what the index says is in the book, so I will give you the main facts to save reading every word.’ Moving to get herself into a nice and comfortable position, before she starts reading.

  Ok Renegades a few facts, they restrain their dragons by magic so they can ride them.’ ‘Heartless bustards, they should all be hung for
what they do to dragons.’ Shylyn had a look on her face that would kill.

  ‘Now as I was saying, by restraining their dragons by magic this allows their wizards to ride the dragons and not have to worry about getting somebody to do the controlling for you. No one knows where they get their dragons from but they have a lot.’ Maive stopped as Angel wanted to say something.

  ‘I wander if we asked the Renegades dragon about the Renegade if it would tell us anything about them. It might be worth trying the next time it comes. Ok Maive thanks for stopping.

  ‘That’s ok, it says the spell they use bonds the dragon to it’s rider for life and only death will break the spell bond. If other Renegades are around when that happens, they immediately cast a spell on the dragon to keep it for another wizard.’ She stops as a tear runs down her face.

  ‘It’s ok Maive we will help at lest one when we free him from the Renegade.’ Angel gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder.

  ‘Ok number two Renegades where do they come from. Now this is interesting, you listen; where the Renegades come from is in hot debate as no one really knows. No one has ever tried to follow them back. The council is very sure they are not based on this world. Dragon Riders have scoured the country side trying to find any hint of where they come from. That’s all it got on that one.’ Taking a sip of water before she carried on.

  ‘One possible reason for why they went the way they did. It is thought that a very long time ago a very power full wizard had followers and something happened to him so his followers went a way from the other wizards. They shunned any contact as they held the other wizards responsible for what happened to him. Then they started attacking any Dragon Rider who came close to where they hid out.’

  Finding it late they decided it would be time to pack up and go to sleep for it was hard work with the shield spell. Maive took the book up with her and placed it in the hiding place she had found. They would carry on tomorrow.

  Just as they were about to go to bed, there came a knock on the door, stopping what they were doing except Maive who took the book up to her room.

  Angel went to the door to find Gavrie standing there looking at him. ‘I’m just making sure you are ready for bed and I see that you are packing up so I will leave you to it, in the morning you will be up in the crystal chamber with me, good night.’

  In the morning knowing they are to have Gavrie up in the Crystal Chamber, they have breakfast and head off up there and decide to cast the spell and have the ball of fire enveloping Angels shield, for when Gavrie comes in. They get themselves set and are about to do it when in walks Gavrie wanting to know what they are about to do.

  Angel looks at the others and then back at Gavrie. ‘Yesterday we practiced with our shields. One of us would fire a small ball of fire at each other and see how the shields hold. We were getting carried away and so fired more and more balls of fire at each other, well our shield enveloped us with fire and we could not use our magic to get out.’

  Gavrie was listening to every word Angel had said and slowly a smile comes to his face. ‘Well I see what I was going to show you today you have already found out, but I will show you now and then explain. Now I want you Angel and Medwin to throw fire balls at me and as many as you can, now?’

  Angel and Medwin looked at him and then looked at each other and started firing balls of fire. ‘How many do you want us to fire, we don’t want to hurt you?’ Medwin asked as he still sent fire balls of fire at him.

  For a start Gavrie held his shield just like a shield, deflecting the balls of fire away. Then he let the shield envelope him and he soon was standing inside a ball of fire. As the fire surrounded him he explained what was happening. The sound of his voice was muffed but they could still hear him.

  ‘Once your shield envelopes you and that would be because what ever spell was hitting you was getting too much to be deflected. The shield will envelope you to protect you better but the shield use’s your magic and once your shield is a complete circle your magic is used solely for that. You can not cast spells for your magic is trying to defend you. I did mention this the other day and thought I had better show you’ Gavrie could see slow comprehension on their faces showing.

  ‘Then what good is your shield if you can’t use your magic?’ Angel had stopped firing fire balls. The look on his face told Gavrie the way he felt.

  ‘It was to show you how to use your shield to deflect the spell rather than let them engulf you. If you use it as a straight shield then you can still cast spells and use your magic. Your shield will only take a little bit of your magic, where as the full enclosed shield takes all your magic to keep you protected.’ Looking at them as he told them. They would have to learn like them all, they must use their shield very carefully.

  ‘From what we have tried not even our most powerful wizard can use magic from inside a closed shield.’ Speaking as he closed his shield down forming into a normal shield that deflected the last of the fire. This happening as he finished telling them.

  ‘How did you make your shield go like that without using magic?’ Medwin still had an astonished look on his face as he asked.

  ‘That was another thing I was going to show you today, now come on over and sit down while I explain.’ Gavrie had moved into the middle as he spoke.

  They all come and sat down in front of him and waited for him to explain. Looking from one to the other he starts. ‘This is why this lesion is very important, so you can get yourself out of the shield if needs be without pouring water all over your shield to put the fire out.’

  ‘Has no one ever been able to use magic within one of the enclosed shields?’ Shylyn moved into a better position.

  ‘We have tried and tired to be able to use magic from in one but we have never been able to. So that’s why we will teach you to work your shield into that of a normal shield. Also we will show you how to close your shield down with out the fire getting you or what ever is keeping your shield up.’ Looking at them as he finished.

  ‘Can you show us how to open the shied once it has enclosed us? We don’t want to get wet again?’ Medwin had a plaintive look on his face as he asked.

  ‘I think it would be a good Idea to show you how to do that first and then we will concentrate on making normal shields. You feel the shield envelopes you and then you feel it and grab the shield and split it open spreading it to form a shield. As you do this any lingering fire or whatever spell made the shield encase you will be dispersed. Thus freeing you to use your magic again unless whoever is casting spells at you keep on doing this till your shield collapses.’ He showed them as he explained how it was done.

  ‘What about the other day when you fired those two balls of fire at me the shield stopped them in mid air?’ He looked at Gavrie waiting to find out how that happened.

  ‘They were small fire balls and I did not throw them that hard, so your shield just opened enough for you to be able to grab the fire balls and use them yourself. Now if I had sent them harder it would have been a different story. Your magic shield will not stop every thing and the more powerful spells thrown at you, will get through the shield so what we try to do is show you how you can deflect them away so that it only just knocks you about.’ He looked to see there was a little bit of fear in their eyes before he carried on. ‘But it still hurts when it hits and can do damage, so what we try to do is show you how you can try to limit the damage it does.’

  They looked at him and he could see the fear there which they needed for that would make them more aware of any magic cast at them. They spent the rest of the morning practicing how to deflect spells and how to open a full enveloped shield. By lunch time they were very hungry and Gavrie could see they had a good work out with their magic.

  The afternoon finds them with spare time so head for their room and the dragons. Their dragons were waiting for them and they took off and flew where they usually go under the decks so as they don’t get seen. They arrive and go and sit with their dragons in the sun just out
from the cave. They talk about what they had been learning and Angel thinking looked at the others.

  ‘I want to try something and want you to hit me with a lot of fire balls as I want the shield up to try this. I will move out onto the middle of the deck and you can start.’ Angel moved over to the middle of the deck and readied himself for the attack.

  Medwin was first up followed by Shylyn and Maive as they spread them selves out. They all started throwing fire balls at Angel and his shield came up immediately as he was engulfed in flame. Angel tried to use his magic but it would not work so he then called Aura and drew her magic to him.

  ‘Ok Aura I will use your magic to fire a spell at them and we will see if that works. I will throw a fire ball at them all so lets see if it works.’ Angel looked at Medwin, Shylyn and Maive and drew Auras magic to him and cast the three balls of fire at them.

  Suddenly just outside the shield with the flames around there appeared three balls of fire which went right at the three. The balls hit their shields and were deflected away, but the look on their faces brought a smile to Angels face. He had just done what they were told could never be done.

  Medwin, Shylyn and Maive ran to him as he peeled back his shield killing the flames. They all spoke at once as they got to him. ‘How did you do that?’

  Angel had a big smile on his face as he looked at the expressions on their faces. ‘You have a guess and tell me, come you must work it out?’

  They looked at him but still no one knew what he had done. ‘Who here is not shielded or using their magic. Think about it, as it hit me when it came to me. There are four here who are not using magic.’

  Maive was the one to pick it up and a smile lit up her face as she spoke. ‘Our dragons magic, you used Auras magic while yours was fighting the fire balls.’

  The others suddenly brightened up when she said it, and they all suddenly wanted to try it out and make sure they could do it. They spent the afternoon just doing that and not worrying about the Renegade as they were having fun and didn’t want anything to spoil it.