The Clash of Land and Sea_The Dragon Riders of Arvain

by Nicholas Clausen

  Hayden watched how smooth and powerful Draek’s flying had become; it still amazed him how such a giant creature could be covered in armor and yet still fly just as well as any eagle or hawk. Don’t get pinned down by the green dragons again. Hayden couldn’t help but add as Draek got further away.

  Hayden watched Draek drop a few feet in the air as he missed the timing of his next wing beat. He roared his frustration at Hayden but in his mind Hayden felt nothing but laughter.

  Hayden made his way down the spiral staircase through the center of Out Post. The elves and humans that were working vigorously around the area seemed oblivious to what had transpired today. Either they did not know about it or they just did not care.

  Hayden walked into what had been deemed as their room and found Cass and Shane both hunched over a map of Arvain. They both looked up at him as he walked closer to them but neither of them asked how he was doing; Hayden was grateful for that.

  “What are you two up to?” Hayden tried to ask casually.

  “We are trying to figure out what’s around us and if there’s any way to escape.” Shane answered him. Shane was excited and he was trying to rub some of it off on Hayden. The look that Cass gave Hayden while Shane spoke told him that the search had not been going well.

  “So what have you found so far?” Hayden asked.

  “Well the first thing we discovered was that Eytherka is much larger than we thought.” Cass pulled out the small, wrinkled map that they had used during their journey to Eytherka.

  Their map showed more of Arvain but in less detail while the new, larger map they were using showed, in much greater detail, Eytherka and the coast but cut off right after the Shadow Desert. Hayden immediately saw what Cass had meant, Eytherka on the new map was miles longer than their map had led them to believe.

  “How much of the forest is under Aelfrie’s rule, where do we have to get to so his green dragons can’t find us?” Hayden asked as he studied the mad.

  “That’s one of the problems.” Shane said. “It seems he rules over the entire forest, from where the Starlight Plains end to where the Burden Sea begins is all his, every tree and plant.” Shane put his hands on his hips as he spoke.

  Hayden looked over the map one last time before looking up to face his friends. “So everything?” Hayden asked.

  “Everything.” Cass and Shane spoke in unison. Hayden couldn’t help himself, he started to laugh. Cass and Shane looked at each other for a second and joined in the laughter.

  What’s wrong? Draek’s worried voice shouted in his head.

  Nothing’s wrong; I just find it humorous that we fled from Celestial City only to end up in the middle of another kingdom where they don’t want us. And if that weren’t bad enough they are sending us back to the kingdom we just left. Hayden could tell that Draek did not find the humor in Hayden’s conclusion but Draek figured that Hayden was alright so he continued hunting.

  Hayden and his friends regained their composure just as four armored guards and a small group of elves came marching down the corridor towards their room. Hayden was not surprised to see them; it was near time for their evening meal to be brought to them but he was surprised by who was caring one of the trays.

  “Would you mind if I joined the three of you for dinner?” Aelfrie, King of the Elves asked. There were three servants behind him, each with a tray of food to give to Hayden and his friends.

  “Um, of course we would be honored to have you join us.” Cass finally spoke up after a few moments of awkward silence. Aelfrie seemed relived, as if they could have told him no. He entered their room and sat down on Hayden’s bed.

  Hayden sat next to Cass on her bed while Shane sat on his own bed. As soon as they were seated the servants swooped in and placed a tray of food on each of the rider’s laps and, just as quickly as they had walked in, the shuffled out of the room.

  Hayden looked down at his food which was a simple grilled piece of red meat, a bowl of broth, a piece of bread, and a cup of water. He was shocked to see that the king was eating the same meal they were.

  They ate in silence, never taking their eyes off the king. As they finished their meal they waited patiently for Aelfrie to finish his. The king took his time making sure he sopped up every drop of the broth with his bread. When he finished he sat his plate down on the bed and smiled at the three young riders.

  “So, you must be wondering why I am here.” He started out; giving a short pause for anyone to answer but nothing came forth. “Well I am here to talk to the three of you about what all transpired today and why I made the decision that I did.”

  Hayden watched as the king suddenly looked much older than he had just a few seconds before. The king’s smile faded and wrinkles were left in its place. His eyes were still a brilliant green but now Hayden could see the bags that hung beneath them. Hayden felt sad for the elf that sat before him; Aelfrie looked like he really needed rest more than anything else in his entire kingdom.

  “I wish I could help you; there is nothing I want more then to get back at the Metallic Riders.” The king undid the laces in the front of his tunic and opened the fabric enough to reveal an old ugly scar in the crude misshapen design of a leaf with an E in the center roughly the size of Hayden’s hand. The scar was just under his right collar bone.

  “When I was young my parents wanted me to focus on my studies. As a future king, they thought it was unwise to dream of having a dragon, they thought it was beneath me. On the day the trials were to start I slipped away and put on servants clothing, to mix in with the other elves trying for an egg.”

  “My parents looked right at me and wished me luck, they never recognized me dressed as I was.” Aelfrie leaned back to rest on the wall against the bed. “Long story short, I hatched Alger the Emerald Giant, well, back then he was as small as a deer.”

  “I came back with my head held high and Alger at my side. When my parents learned what I had done they wept. I thought it was because of what I had done but one of the Metallic Riders that was there grabbed me and forced me to my knees. They branded me with the leaf to show that I was a dragon rider. The E brand they gave me when I was still a child.”

  Hayden knew that all the other races were branded but he had yet to see one. The elves kept their brands covered up and seeing the old scars made it real for Hayden. Cass turned away but Shane did his best to keep a straight face while he looked at the brand mark.

  “I was forced to watch my daughter get branded when she came of age, and again when she got her own dragon. I have watched while the Metallic Riders took anything they want from us, sometimes they even took some of my people.” Aelfrie’s eyes became unfocused as he began to remember the horrible events that had taken place throughout his life.

  “I tell you this not so that you will have pity on me or my people. I tell you this so that you will have an idea of the depth of my hatred for the Metallic Dragon Riders. So that you will understand just how badly I wish to see them suffer and feel the pain that they have inflicted on my people.” Tears welled up in Aelfrie’s eyes as he spoke but none came free to roll down his face.

  “We understand the position that we have put you in.” Cass finally spoke up after Aelfrie regained his composure.

  “We do not blame you for the decision you have made.” Shane added.

  “We just wish that the world wasn’t this way and that we could run away without causing more suffering to the elves.” Hayden listened to Cass speak and he could hear the emotion running deep in her voice.

  Aelfrie looked at Cass and gave her a weary smile. “Child, if the world was different you wouldn’t have to run away.” Aelfrie stood up and stretched out his back and limbs. “I truly wish we could have met under different circumstances but there is nothing we can do about that now. I do ask one thing though, that you spend your time here amongst my people and try to enjoy the beauty of the forest. We may not be able to change the world now but if we start somewhere then maybe in a few hundred years this
will all just be bad memories.”

  With that Aelfrie bowed to them and left the room. Hayden stood up from Cass’s bed and shrugged his shoulders at his friends. “Well that was unexpected.” Was all he could say.

  Shane nodded his head while Cass laid back on her bed and let out a long sigh.

  “Does this change anything?” Shane asked.

  “It changes everything and nothing.” I hate speaking in riddles Hayden thought.

  You’re not the only one. Draek’s gibe came quick and harsh like the end of a whip. Hayden decided it best not to reply to Draek.

  “We now have a better understanding of the elves’ position and why king Aelfrie made the decision he did but that does not change the fact that the Metallic Riders are still coming and the elves are still going to hand us over to them.” Hayden explained.

  “I wish things were different.” Cass said. Hayden looked down at her and realized her eyes were closed but sorrow was written on her face.

  Hayden was about to respond when he realized he really didn’t know what to say to her. He almost laughed when he remembered that just a little over a year after they had hatched their dragon eggs this was the mess they had already gotten themselves in.

  “I think it would be best if we went ahead and called it a night and tried to get some rest. Tomorrow, I say we take Aelfrie up on his suggestion and we go spend some time with the elves.” Shane’s voice sounded tired already like he was not far from sleep.

  “I think that is a great idea.” Hayden said.

  And this time, I think it would be best if I stayed with you. Draek’s tone made it clear that it was not a suggestion but Hayden couldn’t help but laugh.

  I would have to agree with you Draek.

  The next morning the sun woke them up. It wasn’t long after they finished using the wash room that the elves arrived with their breakfast.

  “At least the food’s not bad.” Shane said as he put his plate in his lap and eagerly began eating. Cass just shook her head and smiled at Shane.

  Hayden walked over to the only window in their room and pushed back the wooden and glass shutters and deeply inhaled.

  I do love the smell of this place. Hayden thought to himself. Celestial City was a beautiful place but with all the people and animals crammed in one place the smells could be overwhelming at times. Erskine had been the same way but with the constant odor of farm animals.

  Eytherka was different. The air seemed lighter and the smells that came from the forest around them were both strong and clean.

  All I smell are the green dragons and all their saddled deer that they don’t want me eating. I have to fly out of site of The Outpost just to get to a place that does not reek of green dragon. Hayden laughed at Draek’s complaint.

  “What’s so funny?” Cass asked.

  “It’s Draek, he is not very much of a morning dragon.” Hayden replied. Cass giggled and Shane nodded his head like he understood. They had all seen what his copper Rilora was capable of when she was unhappy.

  They got dressed in their grey outfits as it was still the only clothing they owned besides their armor, and grabbed their weapons as they made their way out of their room. As they came to the top of The Outpost, Kirin was waiting with their dragons. Hayden stopped abruptly as he realized who was standing in front of them. His sudden stop caused Shane to bump into him.

  “Your majesty.” Cass said, as a pleasantry and as a reminder to Hayden and Shane on how they were supposed to act.

  “Hello Cassidy, Shane and Hayden. I hope you slept well?” Kirin said.

  She is being too nice, she either wants something or something has gone wrong. Hayden thought to Draek. The large silver dragon nodded his head slightly.

  “Of course we did and now we are ready to spend the day flying around the forest.” Cass responded with too much friendliness. Shane gave Hayden a confused look that Hayden returned in kind.

  Hayden had no idea what kind of game Cass and Kirin were playing but both of them were taking it very serious.

  “Well I would be very honored to take you on a tour of this great land and help you to see the secret beauties that the forest has to offer.” Kirin continued her obvious dance with Cass.

  “Oh, the honor would truly be ours.” Cass finished.

  Kirin smiled at her and turned to walk towards an open space where a bright green dragon without a rider was just landing. Hayden guessed that it was her own dragon. He took that as a sign and turned to head towards Draek when Cass pulled him and Shane in close.

  “Well I would like to say I did not expect this but I had a feeling that this was exactly what was going to happen.” Cass said in a hushed voice so that none of the elves moving about on the roof top would over hear them.

  “Expect what?” Shane asked. Hayden was just seconds from asking the same question but the look that Cass gave Shane made him glad that Shane asked first.

  “That Aelfrie would send someone to keep an eye on us while still showing us around the forest. They want to keep an eye on us so we don’t stumble upon something that we shouldn’t see but they still want to come off as nice and friendly as can be. That way one day when we rule over this territory we won’t hold anything against them.”

  When Cass explained what had just happened Hayden had no idea how she had figured it out. It all made sense once it was laid out in front of him but he could not understand how so much had been discovered just during their short interaction.

  Hayden climbed onto Draek’s saddle; someone else had already tended to the saddle and it appeared to be brand new, as if their long journey to Eytherka had never happened. Hayden had already checked all the straps to make sure they were secured correctly since someone else had also put the saddle on Draek and Hayden didn’t trust unknown work.

  He tightened his straps to make sure he was securely in place. He finished just as Cass and Shane were finishing with their own straps. He looked over at Kirin and realized her saddle was much simpler than theirs.

  Hers was made of leather but it was thin and only had a few straps holding her legs in place, nothing to strap around her waist and nothing for her to hold on to on the front of her saddle.

  “So where are we going?” Hayden asked, having to yell to be heard by his friends, Kirin still being too far away to hear.

  “Where ever she wants us to go.” Cass nodded to Kirin and her bright green dragon. Hayden watched as Kirin’s green dragon began to stretch out and prepared to jump into the sky. It moved around a lot more than any of the metallic dragons and it seemed to jut around from side to side like a lizard would.

  As it stretched out its wings Hayden saw the membranes sagged slightly and was not held as tightly as Draek’s were and even up close the wings still looked like giant leaves laid on top of each other.

  Before Hayden could continue his inspection of Kirin’s green dragon it shot up into the air like a bird. As soon as it was clear Draek followed with Shaylin and Rilora behind him. Draek’s powerful wings enabled him to gain height quickly and smoothly while Kirin’s dragon flapped its wings almost randomly and rocked from side to side as it tried to gain height.

  I flew better on our first flight than they are flying right now. Draek thoughts came to Hayden calm and without any sign of strain from having to raise his giant body into the air. Hayden could tell Draek wasn’t amused by the green dragon’s poor flying.

  It did not take long for Draek to reach the desired height, with Rilora and Shaylin still right behind him. They had to wait a few seconds for the smaller green dragon to catch up. Once they were soaring over the tree tops Hayden understood why Kirin’s saddle was so small.

  The metallic dragons were able to keep their wings unfurled and let the wind carry them, only having to pump their wings when they began to descend. Kirin’s green dragon never stopped flapping its wings.

  If a strong wind passed over them it would throw the green dragon off balance and send it tumbling through the air. Kirin was having t
o constantly adjust in the saddle to do her best to help the green dragon fly.

  Draek started feeling sorry for the struggling green dragon and tried to help by letting it get in formation behind him but it couldn’t fly in a straight line for long. Every time it veered from behind Draek it would get knocked back by his wake.

  We can’t keep flying like this. Hayden told Draek. Draek growled his agreement but there was nothing they could do; they were stuck with the little green dragon that could barely fly.

  They had to put up with the dragon for the better part of an hour until they finally started to descend. At first Hayden just thought the green dragon was finally starting to fall out of the sky but Draek knew what the dragon was doing.

  The forest looked like one solid sheet of leaves and Hayden could not find any place that would be large enough to allow their dragons to land. The green dragon was the first to near the tree line, causing the leaves and branches to dance wildly underneath it.

  Kirin and her dragon hovered for just a few wings beats and then they dove into the trees as if it had been water. As the green dragon’s tail disappeared amongst the trees there were hardly any signs that a dragon had just been there.

  “We’re not supposed to follow, are we?” Hayden heard Shane shout out.

  “I sure hope not.” Hayden yelled back. They stayed flying around the spot that Kirin disappeared for a few minutes before something finally happened. They were expecting Kirin and her dragon to pop back up out of the forest. They were taken by complete surprise the tree tops were pulled back like curtains over a window.

  The trees were pulled back far enough to let each of the dragons land safely, one at a time on the ground underneath. As Draek landed he heard the creaking and moaning of the trees as they were being forced to lean at extreme angles.

  Elves stood all around and ushered Draek along as soon as his wings were folded up. Draek did his best to move quickly but it wasn’t fast enough for the elves.

  Look at how they pull back the trees using all the ropes. Draek pointed out as they made it past one of the bent trees. Hayden had been wondering how they had managed to do what had looked like magic and it turned out it was all done with ropes and elves, lots of elves.