Sky Monster

    Kioll's hard muscles tense underneath me as we run through the crowded battlefield toward the fleeing dragon.  I try to block my mind from the horrible screams of dying soldiers.

    Kioll's crimson wings spread out on either side of me as he climbs into the air.  My eyes zero in on the dark shadow speeding toward the horizon.

    Go Kioll! I yell to my loyal friend.

    His wings beat the air furiously, closing in on the other dragon quickly.

    The man on the other dragon whips his head around when we are two feet away.  I almost fall off Kioll with shock.



    For it is Jon.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    I was always used to fighting, having grown up with the Juoks.  The Juoks were a travelling tribe renowned for its love of war.  The russet skinned Juok people were easily infuriated, and small arguments often ended up in fistfights.

    But I never challenged anyone to a fight.  That was the first of my faults.

    I excelled at all types of fighting, especially swordplay.  My skin was brown.  I was the same as everyone else, but for the fact I was a girl.

    I had been created when my father met my mother at a tavern in Kopt.  As my father had told me many times, I was an accident.  After I had been born, my mother had dumped me on my fathers doorstep and vanished.



    And so I live my life like a freak.



    All my time is spent alone, until the boys became interested in me for things more than just friendship.



  So I flew the coop.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    I pack my few belongings into a woven shoulder bag and jump out the window, attempting stealth.

    Oh, how I wish I were an elf.

    I freeze as a twig snaps under my foot.  To my luck, no faces appear in the windows around me. 

    I jog to the high wall surrounding the village.  It is made of rocks and branches, with plenty of good footholds.  I toss my bag over the wall, and clamber the high obstacle blocking my path in pursuit.

    At the top I stare back at a life full of taunts, sobbing and despair before leaving it behind as I slide down to where my belongings await me.



    I make camp half a league into the scrub choking the village.  I am almost asleep when my keen ears pick up sounds of approach.  I sit bolt upright, my hand reaching for my sword instinctively.



    "Greetings, Kally."



    I recognise the farmiliar voice of Nanya as he walks into the clearing.  His voice brings back memories of my sword lessons with him.

    Nanya is two years my elder, his twenty to my eighteen.  A strong, handsome face, slightly bearded, sits above shoulders as hard as steel.  Blue eyes sparkle in the dim firelight.  He looks older than his age, more worn. 

    He sits beside me, extending his hands toward the smouldering flames.

    "Why are you here?" I ask, suspicious.

    Nanya's face turns serious.  "The same reasons as you, Kally.  You know I hate the village as much as you do.  This is my chance to escape."

    "And so you expect me to travel with you."  I eye the two horses he had led  into the clearing.

    "That's what I expected, yes."

    I study the dirt in front of me, thinking hard.

    "I have to show you something.  You can't tell anyone about this."  Nanya walks to one of the horses' saddlebags.

    He sits beside me again, carrying a cloth covered item.

    The cloth falls away under his hand, revealing a crimson stone.  It is oval in shape and about a foot long.  I recognise it as a dragon egg immediately.

    "Where did you get that?" I whisper.

    "Its a long story."

    "We have time."

    "Fine."

    Nanya's voice swirls in the air, weaving a tale of deceit and and adventure.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    Nanya ran through the empty halls, wary of hiding soldiers.  He was in Lenefka's citadel, searching for an unknown treasure.

    His orders were simple; follow his two companions and seize the item in the  room they were headed to. 

    Nanya peered around the corner, motioning for the two men behind him to continue. 

    He hesitated for a moment as the clash of steel on steel reached his ears.

    There were five soldiers waiting in ambush.  Nanya cursed himself inwardly for leading the men into such a simple trap.

    He dove into the skirmish, chopping and slicing at every person that was visibly an enemy.

    Surprise filled him when one soldiers' sword slid between two of his  breastplates.  The tip lodged in under a rib.  A little more to the left and he would have been dead. 

    Nanya beheaded the man with one strong stroke of his blade, and pulled the other sword from where it was embedded in his chest.

    Nanyas' blade flipped up in a quick parry as the last soldier took a swing at his shoulder.  Nanya finished him off with a plunge of his sword through the heart.  Their party walked on.

    "We are almost there," one of the men whispered.

    The man led them through an unlocked door, and Nanya beheld the stone he had been searching for.

    "It's a dragon egg," he murmured.

    "Aye," said another man.

    "And you are not having it."  Nanya did not recognise the last voice that had spoken.  He span, finding a Shade in the doorway.  The only way Nanya could tell he was more than human was his crimson hair and blood-red eyes.

    "How are you going to stop me?" Nanya asked, trying to distract the Shade from the other men, who were cowering against the walls.

    "Like this."

    The Shade lunged toward Nanya, his sword glinting.  Nanya parried, and thrust forward as the Shade drew back.  This only angered the Shade, and Nanya danced back as he advanced.

    The small room rang with the clash of metal on metal.  Nanya's blade slid down the Shades', and with a grunt Nanya flicks the other sword across the room.  The tip of his sword was instantly at the Shades' heart.

    "Die well, Shade."  He drove his sword home.

    Nanya watched as the Shade writhed on the ground, the spirits controlling him becoming visible through his now transperent skin.

    Nanya stepped away as the spirits broke free of the Shades' body and swirled in the thick air.

    He grasped the egg and stares at the Shades' broken corpse.

    "So much for stopping me."



~~~~~~~~~~~



    "Wow," I say when Nanya finishes the recount of his story.  "I never would have imagined you doing all that.  I can't believe you killed a Shade!"

    "I have another thing to show you.  Tiran!"

    "More secrets?  My brain is going to explode!"

    The ground rumbles as something large approaches us.

    A scaled, reptile head appears above the trees before the rest of a magenta dragon takes up most of the room in the clearing.

    "A dragon!" I exclaim.  "Next you'll be telling me you're a dwarf in disguise!"

    "This is Tiran," Nanya says, standing up to stroke Tiran's neck.

    I shake my head.  "You're a Dragon Rider!"

    "Yes.  Tiran wants to know if she can have access to your mind.  Having me translate annoys her."

    I nod my approval, and Tiran's consiousness touches mine.  I am surprised at the wisdom and ancient feel of her mind.  I feel I must pay her, an animal, the same amount of respect I would pay a king.

    Greetings, hatchling, the dragon says.

    "Wow," I whisper again.  "How long have you had her?"

    Tiran growls.  He never would have known I existed if I hadn't decided he was fit to be a Dragon Rider.

    "Sorry.  When did you choose him, then?" 

    "Before I came to the village."

    "May I pat you?" I ask Tiran.  She inclines her head.

    I run my hand over her purple scales.  I flinch away at first from the unnatural chill of her armour, but my hand soon changes temperature to match its surroundings.

    "I thought all the Dragon Riders were dead except Lenefka and Faril," I say.  Faril is Lenefka's dragon.

    "No.  That's what Lenefka would like people to believe.  I don't even think he knows we exist."

    It will be a big advantage when we try to overthrow him, Tiran adds.

    "What are you going to do with the egg?" I ask.

    We are going to try and hatch it.

    "How?"

    "When the correct person touches the egg, the dragon inside will hatch," Nanya tells me.

    "Ah."

    Have Kally touch it, Nanya.  I have a feeling about her.

    Nanya hands the red egg to me, and I hold it awkwardly, not sure what to do.

    A few minutes pass.

    Maybe I was - A large crack halts Tiran halfway through her sentence.  I glance down at the egg in my hands, spotting a thick, black line that was not there before.

    It hatches! Tiran hisses.

    A small, red paw pushes its way through the thin shell.

    I sink to the ground, transfixed by the crimson dragon hatching in my lap.  My crimson dragon.

    I watch as another paw, a wing, a tail all push through the crumbling egg.



    Soon I have a dragon hatchling on my lap, staring up at me with large, baleful eyes.

    If I hadn't seen Tiran with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed dragons could grow that large.  The dragon on my lap is about nine inches long, and covered in red, glossy scales.

    Its teeth and claws are long and formidable, curving slightly at the ends.  It streched, spreading out wings that look too large for his body.

    I smile and stroke the row of jagged, maroon spikes running down its back.

    An icy burning shoots up my arm, and I pull it away with a cry.  Nanya and Tiran stare down at us, probably remembering their first meeting.

    My attention is diverted as a red glow runs up my still burning arm.

    "Welcome to the Riders," Nanya says when the glow fades.

    I do not answer, for the dragon's mind brushes against mine, and I am suddenly filled with an overwhelming sense of hunger.

    "Its hungry," I say.

    While Nanya busies himself with dinner, Tiran lies beside me and rsts her head on her paws.

    What will you name him? shes asks.  I am glad she told me his gender.  I never would hane figured it out on my own.

    "Kioll," I say suddenly, with no idea how I thought of it.

    Kioll purrs under my stroking hand.

    "Here," Nanya says, throwing a hunk of meat toward Kioll and I./

    Kioll flutters toward it on unsteady wings, and I cannot help but laugh at his antics.  Even Tiran rumbles a chuckle deep in her chest.

    Nanya hands me a plate of roasted hare and thick, brown bread.

    "We have a lot to talk about," he says.  I nod my head.

    "Maybe we should start with dragons," he adds.

    "Okay."

    "Well, I don't really need to describe the appearance of a dragon, because there are two in front of you.  A female dragon grows to about 17 feet long and 10 feet high, while a male will grow to possibly two or three times that.  Dragons have massive but unpredictable magical powers, and are known to have compleated feats that would have killed an average magician."

    Nanya talks for hours about the aspects of the dragon, only stopping when I struggle to stay awake.

    "Sorry, Kally," he says.  "Its too much information for one day."

    I do not answer, for I am already asleep.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    I wake when I feel something sharp dig into my wrist.  I stare at an angry Kioll as he sends me a feeling of hunger over our mental link.  Tiran throws me a rabbit, obviously picking Kioll's hunger out of my head.

    I went hunting this morning, and I thought he might be hungry.

    "Thanks.  Where's Nanya?"

    He's planning your lessons.

    I look at Kioll, who is devouring the rabbit.

    "You've grown!" I accuse.  He is now five feet long; a growth of four feet and three inches.  "Four feet overnight!"

    Baby dragons grow very fast, Tiran says.

    "You can say that again!  When will he start talking?"

    I can't say for sure, but probably in a week, maybe less.

    Nanya walks into the clearing. 

    "Lets go."

    I climb onto a chocolate brown gelding, and watch as Tiran climbs gracefully into the air on huge wings, Kioll following awkwardly.

    When the pair have disappeared from sight, Nanya and I ride into the bushes.

    "Where are we going?" I ask.

    "To the elves.  You need a Rider's sword."

    "What's the difference between a Rider's sword and a normal sword?"

    Nanya pulls a magenta sword out of his saddlebags.  It is exactly the same shade as Tiran.  I gasp at its beauty.

    "This sword is named Leoht, which means light in the ancient language.  Memorise it. 

    A Rider's sword is forged for the Rider who requires it.  It is supposed to feel like an extension of their arm.  Many spells are cast over it during the forging, making the blade unbreakable, able to cut through any magical barrier and, obviously, change the colour."

    "Interesting.  May I?"

    Nanya hands me the sword, and I swing it through the air.

    "The blade is too short and the hilt too long.  This is a shortened, two handed sword."

    "You hav quite an eye for a blade."

    I shrug.  "I had nothing better to do all my life."

    After a few minutes of silence, I ask, "Where are we going after we visit the elves?"

    "I don't know," Nanya confesses.  "I am hoping the elves will have an idea.  Anyway, we don't have time to dwell on the future.  Your training begins now!"

    Nanya fishes in his pocket for a small rock.

    "Crack it," he says.

    "How?"

    "Use the word 'cracian'.  It means crack in the ancient language.  Memorise that too."

    "Cracian," I mutter.  I crack appears in the stone, deep and wide.  I am surprised at the amount of energy such a crack used.

    Nanya inspects it. 

    "Not bad," he says.  "Better than I did at my first magic attempt."

    I grin.  The smile fades as Nanya instructs me to try again.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    Kioll has never been so high before.  Part of the problem may have been in the fact he hadn't even been hatched for 24 hours, but it was still true.  He gazes over white, fluffy splodges as he glides on an updraft.

    Tiran flies slightly ahead of him, trying to teach him how to perform a complex air manouver.  Kioll isn't paying attention.

    Kioll! she snaps.  His attention is focused on her teachings again.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    Tiran and Kioll are already in the clearing when Nanya and I enter.  I swear Kioll has grown another three feet during his time in the air.

    "If he keeps growing at this rate, you'll be able to ride him by tomorrow," Nanya says.

    "Excellent."

    The majority of the night is spent in silence, the only conversation aloud is when I exclaim aloud at the sound of an unfarmiliar voice in my head.

    "What is it, Kally?" Nanya asks, his hand reaching toward Leoht.

    "Nothing, nothing.  I think Kioll just started talking."

    Yes, I did, says Kioll.  I wanted to talk to you like Tiran does.  I just copied you.

    I laugh at this, and one by one we all fall asleep.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    I wake early, whether from excitement or nerves I do not know.  I look over at Kioll, but I cannot tell if he has grown or not while he is curled up in a ball, asleep.  I decide to practise my swordmanship, as there is nothing left to do.

    I spar against invisible foes until Nanya wakes, and at first I do not notice him watching me.

    "Your feet are too close together."

    I spin around, alarmed. 

    "I would prefer it if you didn't chop my head off."

    And I would be forced to hunt you down and rip you to shreds, Tiran adds with a yawn.

    Only if you kill me first, Kioll says.

    I drop my sword and throw my hands up in the air.

    "Can we please stop talking about everyone killing each other?"

    Nanya laughs.  "Get up Kioll," he says.

    Kioll has grown again, even more than last time.  A growth of six feet puts Kioll at eleven feet long and six feet high.

    "Can I ride him now?" I ask, excited.

    "Only if Kioll wants to."

    Of course I do!

    Nanya walks to one of the horses and pulls four sheets of leather out of a saddlebag.  I watch as he crafts a simple saddle for Kioll after measuring him.

    "Wow," I say when Nanya is done.  "You made that so fast!"

    "Its not really that hard, but I hope you payed attention.  You may have to do that for yourself one day."

    I pick up the saddle and throw it onto Kioll's back.  I have trouble reaching.

    I don't know how I'll do this when you grow to your full size, I say.

    You'll find a way, Kioll assures me.

    Kioll extends his left foreleg, and I clamber up it, coming to a rest on his back.  Nanya ties up the many cords that are to hold me in place when Kioll performs air manouvers.

    "Tiran and I will meet you in the air," he says.



    I laugh at the delightful feeling of weightlessness I get as Kioll rises into the air.

    Exhilarating, isn't it? Kioll asks.

    Its amazing.

    Kioll's wings beat at the thinning air as he climbs higher.  I look down and can see Tiran and Nanya below us.

    We break through the clouds, and Kioll hovers as Tiran and Nanya appear beside us.

    The elves' cities are in that direction, Tiran says, guesturing with her head.  We will see you this evening.

    So we're allowed to just fly? Kioll asks, confused.

    "We know what it's like the first time a dragon and Rider fly together," Nanya says.  "You don't want us dragging you back."

    Let's fly! Kioll says to me alone.  He beats his powerful wings and we shoot forward.  I lean my head against Kioll's neck and stare at the clouds as they fly past.  I can feel his working muscles, his rough scales.

    Are we supposd to reach the elves tonight? I ask.

    I think so, Kioll says.

    I wonder what the elves will be like.

    Tiran told me yesterday that the elves respect dragons above all other living creatures.

    That's great for you, I think. 

    Tiran's voice interupts our conversation.  We are closer than Nanya and I expected.  You should see the city very soon.

    Ten minutes later, the trees fall away to reveal a town of wooden huts and treehouses.  Kioll dives under the clouds, and many upturned faces of elves become visible. 

    Land in the large clearing outside the hall, Tiran tells us.

    She breaks throught he clouds, heading for the clearing she told us about.  Kioll follows her, and I vault off his back when he lands.

    Nanya walks around Tiran and leads me into the large, oak hall.

    "Kally," he says when we are inside.  "We are about to present ourselves to the king.  I know I've already taught you the proper greetings, but we need to be professional."

    "Okay," I say, and we continue down the corridor.  At the end, there is a glass door guarded by two heavily armed elves.

    "Greetings, gentlemen," Nanya says smoothly.  "We are here to see King Jihd.  You would have heard our dragons landing a couple of minutes ago."

    At the word dragon, one of the elves opens the glass door and waves us through, muttering something I cannot decipher.  Nanya and I stride in, and my gaze is caught by a regal-looking elf lounging on a jewelled throne.

    On first sight, King Jihd gives an air of godliness.  His stance, the sharp line of his jaw, the very air he breathed makes me want to grovel on the ground for his approval.

    But I don't.  I look him directly in the eye as he descends from the dias his throne is positioned on and walks toward Nanya and I.

    "King Jihd," Nanya murmurs, his hands forming the elves' sign of respect.  I copy him.

    "Please," the King says.  "There is no need for that.  We have more pressing matters to attend to."

    "What are these pressing matters?" Nanya asks.

    A side door I hadn't noticed opens, halting Jihd's response.  It reveals another two beautiful elves, holding hands.  I describe them beautiful for their beauty surpasses all that is in the room.  I look at their entwined hands, and realise why.  They glow with the radience of love.

    They walk toward Jihd, Nanya and I.  A large grin splits Nanya's face.

    "Likya!" he exclaims.  The man responds likewise, only using Nanyas' name rather than his own.  They draw each other into a manly embrace.  I notice that Likya does not release the woman's hand.

    "Its been years since those two last saw each other," Jihd murmurs to me.  "Don't be surprised if you don't hear from Nanya for the rest of today."

    The woman looks at me, one eyebrow raised.

    "Who's this, Nanya?" she asks.

    "I'm Kally."

    "She's the new Dragon Rider," Nanya adds.

    "I'm Mallory.  You'll have to introuduce me to your dragon sometime."

    Jihd clears his throat, drawing all attention back to him.

    "Now back to more important matters.  There will be plenty of time left for reunions later."  Jihd begins to pace.

    "Nanya, Kally, you may not know this, but the dwarves and humans have sent portions of their armies to help us protect Asioun.  We need these extra forces for we have heard a whisper that Lenefka is planning an attack against us.  We do not know the size of the attack, but we presume it will be large, and with the element of surprise Lenefka hoped to have, so it would crush us."

    "When I decided to come to Asioun," Nanya says, "it was because Kally needed a sword.  I didn't expect to be talking about a possible battle.  Do we know if Lenefka will be leading the attack?"

    Likya answers him.  "We don't know for sure, but we think he will.  He will want to watch us fall if he thinks he has a good chance of defeating us."

    I listen to their war talk carefully.  I need the experience for the future.

    "Come, Kally," Mallory says.  "These boys will be talking for hours.  I will take you to gat a sword."

    We walk out through the door Mallory and Likya had entered through.  Kioll wings his way over the hall, startling Mallory when he lands in front of us.

    I'm coming, he says.

    I walk over to him and stroke his neck.

    "Mallory, this is Kioll," I say.

    "He's beautiful."

    I'm glad Kally isn't the only one who feels the way, Kioll says in both our minds.

    "I don't know how anyone could think you are ugly," Mallory says as we begin to walk again.

    Kioll raises his head and breathes a puff of smoke through his nostrils.

    "Has he started breathing fire yet?" Mallory inquires.

    "No."

    Can you please stop talking about me like I'm not here?

    Both Mallory and I laugh, and we continue with the casual conversation until we walk into a secluded grove, where a youthful elf is hammering metal.  He seems not to notice us.

    "Caeste," Mallory says.  The elf's head whips up.  He smiles when he spots Kioll.

    "So you're the new Dragon Rider?" Caeste asks.  I nod my head.

    "I expect you're here for a sword," he continues, turning to scribble something on a piece of paper.  "What kind of sword do you prefer?"

    I grin.  I am in my element now. 

    I grab one of the metal stokers lying around and swing it through the air.

    "Hand and a half.  Preferably lengthened, I like a bit of extra reach."

    Caeste nods and says, "I need an idea of your fighting style."

    I brandish my stoker toward him, daring him to face me.

    We spar with the stokers for a while, Caeste deciding on the final aspects of my sword.  Finally, he holds up a hand.

    "I am done.  You may leave, Kally, but your dragon must stay.  Come back in exactly one week from now, and your blade will be ready."

    I turn, and to my surprise, find my audience has grown.  Mallory has been joined by Nanya, Likya and manny other elves I do not recognise.

    "Enjoy the show?" I ask as I approach them.

    "Excellent swordmanship," Likya approves.  "I'd like to see you when you actually try, Kally."  I smile at him.

    Many of the other elves congratulate me, and I thank them as I push through the crowd.

    I sigh when I am able to breathe properly again.  Nanya comes up behind me.

    "Would you like to see your rooms?" he asks.

    "Oh, yes."

    I follow Nanya eagerly as he leads the way through the winding paths of the elven city, dreaming of a hot shower and soft bed.

    He starts up the staircase of one of many treehouses.

    "I hope you don't mind bunking," Nanya says as we walk up the winding stairway.

    "Nanya, I've lived in a village with no other girls my entire life.  I'm kinda used to it."

    "Right."

    The rest of the climb is made in silence.  Tiran is already in the treehouse, asleep. 

    I am too tired to take in the beautiful interior of the treehouse.  I sink into the closest bed and fall asleep instantly.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    When I wake, I find Kioll's head lying on the pillow beside mine.  He must have come back late last night.  I notice he has grown again, a massive growth spurt of ten feet.

    Nanya breaks the silence with a yawn, and I quiz him on Kioll's super natural growth.

    "When a Rider's sword is forged," Nanya says, "the Rider's sword connects with it.  The effects of this is an immense growth spurt for the dragon, and the effect on the sword varies, depending on the dragon.  Its also what gives the sword its colour."

    I stare at the sleeping Kioll.

    "He's probably bigger than Tiran now," I say.

    "Probably."

    Nanya stands up and comes to sit beside me on my bed.  He opens his mouth to speak and decides against it.

    My heartbeat races as he leans in as if to kiss me, but he stops not even two inches from my face.  One of his arms snakes around my waist, and now he kisses me.

    I expect myself to pull away, but instead I pull him closer.  One of my arms rests around his neck.  We pull away from each other, our breathing ragged.

    "You don't know how long I've waited to do that," Nanya says. 

    I really wanted to just stay there all day in his arms, but he reminds me of our other obligations.



    Ten minutes later, Nanya and I are walking through Asioun, hand in hand, heading for the clearing in which Mallory and Likya were meeting us.

    I am still reeling over this morning's events.  Before today, I hadn't even known I felt for Nanya in that way.

    Does it really matter, if I'm happy? I wonder.

    Can you ask Nanya when we'll be practising air combat? Kioll asks.

    Sure.

    "Kioll wants to know when we will be practising air combat," I say.

    Nanya scratches his chin.  "Honestly, I haven't thought about it.  Er, maybe day after tomorrow?"

    I relate this information to Kioll as we come across Mallory and Likya.

    Nanya must have confessed his plans to the pair earlier for they do not look surprised at our entwined hands.

    "I've been thinking," Mallory says.

    "Should I be scared?" I hiss to Nanya.  He just smiles.

    "I am proposing a challenge," Mallory continues.  "You, me, no magic, just swords.  What do you say?"

    "Bring it on."

    Likya hands me a sword, and I follow Mallory into the centre of the clearing.  I swing the sword through the air, hefting its weight.  I shake out my muscles and brace myself as Mallory runs toward me.  I throw up my sword as she takes a swing at my shoulder.

    "Have to be faster than that," I say with a smirk.

    I attack this time, stabbing into her unprotected lower body.  My blade halts before it hits her body, and flips upward in a quick parry, protecting my forearm.

    This angered her.  I back across the clearing, our swords clashing over and over again, both of us searching for an opening.

    You're about to run into a tree, Kioll says.

    Thanks.

    I try to spin so Mallory has her back to the tree, but she defends her position well.  I rack my mind for ideas.  If she keeps me in this position, I'm done for.  An idea sparks in my brain, running on the fuel of changing positions.

    I duck unexpectedly and roll to the side.  I am away from the tree, but Mallory is boring down on me.  If I cannot get back upright, I'm in more trouble than I was in before.

    I struggle to my knees, desperately parrying Mallory's slashing sword.  The ground shudders slightly as Kioll lands behind me.  He releases a fearsome roar that vibrates through the surrounding trees.  Mallory backs away from me.

    Thanks, I say.  I was getting a bit scared then.

    I could tell.  That's why I intervened.

    "I'm sorry, Kally," Mallory says.  "I got carried away."

    "Don't worry about it.  I know how it feels."

    Nanya comes up behind Mallory, a frightening look on his face.  I run over to him and hold his hands in mine.

    "Nanya, look at me," I say quietly.  He obeys.

    "She was about to kill you," he says.

    "Do you really think Kioll would let her kill me?"

    Nanya relaxes under my hands.  "I guess not."

    I smile.  "Its one of the benefits of being a Dragon Rider."

    We walk back to Mallory and Likya as Tiran touches down in the clearing.

    Is everything okay?  I heard Kioll's roar.

    "Everything's fine," I say. 

    A brown-haired elf sprints into the clearing.  All heads turn toward him.

    "King Jihd wishes to inform you he is hosting a feast in honour of the two Dragon Riders.  It will begin at dusk."

    "Thank you," says Likya, and the elf disappears back into the trees.  Mallory's face lights up.

    "Kally! You need a dress!"

    She grabs me by the hand and leads me down a path that leads to a petite cottage, the only thing I have seen in Asioun that is not made of wood.

    The stones are placed on one another in a ramshackle fashion, looking presicely like its been there for hundreds of years.

    Mallory leads me through its painted, oak door and into a bare hall.  As we walk down it, I pick out subtle decorations; a bowl of flowers, a wall hanging, a table runner.

    She leads me into a large bedroom and into a walk-in-robe.  The wardrobe is filled with clothes of all colours and styles.

    I sigh as Mallory begins to pick out dresses.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    Mallory and I walk toward the clearing outside Jihd's hall, Kioll following.

    I am excited about the feast now.

    I couldn't help but be drawn into the festivities.  I even somewhat enjoyed the dressing-up.

    I am wearing a deep, rich red, identical to the shade of Kioll's scales.  It is made out of a thick, elven material, somewhat similar to velvet.  It is tight-fitting until the waist, where the skirt is pushed outwards by an underskirt in a darker red.  A diamond pendant is suspended around my neck by a thin, silver chain.  My earrings match the necklace.  My blonde waves cascade down my back, free of their usual bindings.

    Mallory halts to hand me a gold circlet embedded with an emerald.

    "All Riders wear them at fuctions while in Asioun."

    I slide it onto my head.

    "It matches your eyes," Mallory approves.

    We round the last corner, and the table is empty, apart from Likya, Nanya Jihd and another elf who is obviously Jihd's queen.  Jihd obviously told us an earlier time.

    I slide in next to Nanya, and the unfarmiliar female elf introduces herself.

    "I'm Queen Kaliene.  You must be Kally, correct?"

    "Yes, Your Majesty."

    "Please, call me Kaliene.  This is your dragon, I assume?"

    "His name's Kioll."

    "Pleasure to meet you, Kally, Kioll."

    Nanya lays a hand on mine, and I meet his eyes.

    "Ready to meet your first dwarf?" he asks.

    I peer around him, trying to catch a glimpse of the dwarf Nanya is refering to.

    "Thor," Nanya says warmly, rising to shake the dwarf's hand.  My head flips around to the unexpected direction of the dwarfs' approach. 

    To be honest, a dwarf is like a human, only shorter and stockier, like they are made of stone rather than flesh and blood.

    The dwarf's auburn beard trails down to his ankles, and his similarly coloured hair, knotted and twisted, is the same length.  His human companion, however, I recognise instantly.

    "Jon!" I exclaim, jumping oput of my seat.

    Jon's face breaks into a smile as I throw myself into his arms.

    "Its been a while, sister," he says.

    I hadn't seen my brother since I was twelve, when he was sent to the army.  Six years.

    "So you're a Dragon Rider now?" Jon continues, eyeing Kioll and the newly-arrived Tiran.  "Which one is yours?"

    "The big, red one."

    I do have a name, Kioll says indignatly.  Jon recoils from his mind's touch, but I laugh.

    I'm getting to that.

    "His name is Kioll," I say aloud.

    We sit back down and Jon introduces me to his dwarf friend as other elves, dwarves and humans trickle into the clearing in twos and threes.

    "Kally, this is Thor," he says.  "Thor, Kally."

    Thor and I exchange a nod, and I quiz him on his race.

    The most interesting thing I learn is the dwarves are divided into seven clans, or durgrimsts.  Each dwarf has magical abilities unique to its clan, that assist in the task each durgrimst is assigned to do within a dwarven city.  For example, Durgrimst Feknoun can 'speak' to the animals they tend, and Durgrimst Knurl, the stonemasons, can sing stone into the shape they want.

    After Thor supplies me with all the information I can handle, the first course, consisting of minature blueberry pies and boiled quail eggs, is served.

    There is many, many more courses, and between these Jon and I catch up on the past six years.

   

    The feast ended, many guests have left.  Still sitting around the table is Jihd, Kaliene, Mallory, Likya, Nanya, me, Jon, Thor and a few other elves whose names I cannot recall.

    Some of the men, Jan and Nanya included, begin drinking faelnirv, an elven liqueur.

    Kioll ambles over and sniffs the faelnirv.

    May I have some? he asks, projecting his inquiry to all the minds arounf him.

    "Get the dragon some of that!" Jon yells.  I hand Kioll a near-empty bottle, and he tips his head back, draining the last of the faelnirv.

    What a ticklish potion.  You should try some, Kally.  Is there more?

    One of the unknown elves rolls a large barrel of what I suppose is faelnirv toward Kioll.  He empties it in one long draught.  He staggers a little.

    "I never thought I'd see a dragon drunk," Nanya says with a chuckle.

    Kioll drinks four more barrels, and by that time I am tempted to have a glass.  The clear liqueur burns my throat and gives me a strange sense of clarity that I would not abbritrute to the drink.  I can see how Kioll can drink five barrels of the stuff and still continue.

    When Kioll has drunk so much faelnirv that he can hardly stand up straight, I decide I will take him back to the treehouse.

    "He won't be able to fly up to the treehouse," Mallory points out.  "I don't think you're going to get Nanya up those stairs either.  Come stay at my place tonight."

    "Will there be enough room?"

    "It's bigger than it looks," Likya assures me.

    Nanya and I rise from our chairs.  I walk toward Kioll and lay a hand on his neck.

    Come, I say.  I will help you.

    Kioll stumbles after me as I follow Mallory, Likya, Nanya and Tiran into the trees.

    We are soon at Mallory and Likya's cottage.  Kioll and Tiran walk to the rear, where there is a clearing large enough for the both of them to sleep in.  Inside the house, Mallory allocates Nanya and I rooms.  I am asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    I am sitting in a high stand, looking down on a large, black circle.  I watch as an endless stream of people is marched into the circle and executed brutally.  The people around me stand and cheer.

    The next executees are two men whose faces I cannot see, and a large, farmiliar looking dragon.  The mens' faces turn, and the dragons' crimson scales glint in the dim light produced by the torches lining the walls.  I recognise the men instantly.

    A hush falls over the crowd as the callers' voice rings out.

    "Presented for execution.  One Nanya, Jon, Kioll."

    I jump out of my seat and run to the stairs that lead to the black circle.  Two security guards block my path.

    "You are not authorized to go down there, miss," one says.

    "But-"

    I scream as Kioll, Nanya and Jon are beheaded before my eyes.  Half my mind disappears as Kioll ceases to exist.  I collapse to the ground, reconsidering my will to live, now that all that I care for is gone.



~~~~~~~~~~~



    Sweat drips down my face when I wake.  It is still night.  I climb out of bed and creep down the hall, trying not to dwell on the awful nightmare.

    I push open Nanya's door, suddenly chilled by the cool breeze blowing through his open window. 

    I can tell Nanya is awake, and has been waiting for me as I slide into the bed next to him.  His arms close around me.

    "What's wrong?" he murmurs, stroking my cheek.

    "Just a dream.  About you and Jon and Kioll.  A horrible dream."

    Nanya kisses me softly.  "Don't fret, sweet.  The night's terrors disappear in the light of dawn."



~~~~~~~~~~~



    When I wake for the second time, I can hear the clash of swords outside.  The next thing I notice is the absence of Nanya.

    I hurry to the window, the first thing I see Kioll's scaly hide.  Through the fraction Kioll is not covering, I can see Likya and Nanya sparring.  Both are topless and covered in sweat.

    Nanya glances up and sees me in the window.  I smile at him.

    I turn and walk to the kitchen, where Mallory is brewing a pot of tea.

    "Good morning," she says brightly.  "How are you?"

    "I'm alright, but I won't envy Kioll when he wakes."

    Mallory smiles and hands me a mug of tea.

    "Are you ready to begin your training?" she asks.  "Its going to be tough."

    I look her directly in the eyes.  "I'm ready."



~~~~~~~~~~~



    For the rest of the week, Mallory drives me to my very core.  She pushes me to the point of collapse.  But I have to admit, I learn the most in that week than I did in the rest of my life.  I learn immense amounts of words from the ancient language, how to locate others with my mind and sword tricks I hadn't even known existed.  And all the while Kioll and Tiran dove and spun in the air above us, Tiran giving lessons of her own.

    At dawn on the day Caeste told me to return to him, Kioll wakes me with a prodding of his mind.

    What? I ask.

    Jihd just contacted me.  He says you and Nanya are needed in his halls as soon as possible.

    That dosen't sound like good news.

    No, it dosen't.

    I sit up and shake Nanya gently.  He groans.

    "Jihd has sent for us, Nanya," I say.  "We must leave."

    I dress quickly as Nanya climbs out of bed.  I run up Kioll's massive foreleg as Nanya copies me on Tiran, already dressed.

    Kioll now dwarfs Tiran, and is still growing. At forty-five feet, he is nearing his full growth.  Soon he won't fit in the treehouse. 

    We soar into the air, and are outside Jihd's halls in minutes.  Nanya and I slide from our dragon's backs, and he takes my hand.

    Nanya and I walk through a side door, and he drops my hand.  The first thing I see is a mighty, green dragon.  It must be male, for he is almost twice the size of Kioll.  His fangs are as tall as me, his claws as thick as... nothing is that thick.  I wonder how on earth his Rider gets onto his back, for he is as tall as a fifteen-storey building.  In the small area left, a man who is obviously the dragons' Rider is talking animately with Jihd.  The only other people in the room are Jon, Thor, Mallory and Likya.

    My eyes narrow as i realise who this pair must be.  Lenefka and Faril, the only other Rider-dragon partnership in Feldust.

    Kioll, if we are to defeat them, you must grow a lot more, I say.

    I'll say.

    I understand now why Nanya released my hand.  It is not wise to reveal relationships around enemies.  They can be used against you.

    Nanya and I move toward the others, and Lenefka's head spins.

    "More humans that have betrayed their king," he spits.  "You will pay."

    Only if he gets past me, Kioll growls.

    I quicken my pace, for I am afraid to draw Lenefka's attention again.  Mallory pats my arm when I stand next to her.

    The green dragon - Faril, I assume - fixes a great eye on me.  The eye is so full of knowledge, so full of wisdom, that I wonder how he does not know of Kioll and Tiran's existance.

    My brain kicks into action.  Why would Lenefka walk unarmed into Asioun?  How does he even know where the elven cities are?  Then I remember.  Lenefka is an elf in human guise.  So he knows everything about the elves.  What a disadvantage.

    Lenefka must not know Kioll and Tiran exist.  Why else would he walk right into our hands unprotected?  Faril is fearsome, but if Kioll and Tiran both took him on, with Nanya, Mallory and my magical assistance, he would not stand a chance.  I wonder what level of skill Lenefka has with a blade?

    "My armies will be here in two days, Jihd," Lenefka says.  "And you better be ready.  They're deadly."

    "We have some weapons of our own," Jihd replies, his eyes flicking to Nanya, Mallory and I.

    Lenefka follows his gaze, and snorts.

    "Those three?  The man may have a very slight chance, but those girls...  I swear, Jihd, you're losing your mind."

    He walks over to us and studies our faces.

    "Whats so special about you three?" he ponders aloud.  I stand stock still as Lenefka runs his eyes over our features.

    "Nothing remarkable," he continues.  "What is in your head, Jihd?  What won't you tell me?"

    He turns to face Jihd again.  "Two days, Jihd.  Two days."

    Lenefka eyes Nanya, Mallory and I before departing through the main door, Faril squeezing after him.

    I exhale loudly when he is gone.

    "I swear, I thought he was going to guess Kioll and Tiran exist by just looking in my eyes," I say.

    "He is frightening," Mallory agrees.

    "Kioll has a lot more growing to do," I add as Jihd joins us.

    "He'll have no trouble with that," Likya says.  "Every time I see him, he's grown another ten feet."

    "He needs to grow more than ten fet everyday," Jihd says. "We only have two days."

    Sorry to intrupt the conversation, but I believe Kally has a sword to pick up, Kioll points out.

    My face lights up at the thought of finally recieving that long-awaited sword.

    "Come on," I say, leading Nanya out the door by the hand.  Jon and Mallory follow.

    We soon arrive at Caeste's glade, Kioll and Tiran joining the group.  Caeste's head flicks up from where he is bent over a shrouded object.

    "Kally," he says warmly.  "Perfect timing.  I have just finished your sword.  There is only one thing left for you to do."

    "Which is?"

    "Giving the blade a name."

    This put me on the spot; I had forgotten about the naming of my sword.

    "May I see it?" I ask.

    Caeste hands me the cloth-covered item from the bench, and I take a deep breath before uncovering it.

    I am not the only one who gasps when the sword is revealed.  The scabbard is the same brilliant crimson as the scales on Kioll's back.  Wjite, glossy lines swirl through the red.  I draw the sword.  Its red shade is iridescent; it shifts and changes as I twirl the blade through the air.  The sword's hilt is crafted of a dark hardwood I do not recognise, and is embedded with a dark sapphire.  I stroke the blade.  It darkens under my fingertips.

    "Its beautiful," I whisper.

    "What do you name it?" Caeste asks.

    What do you think I should name it? I ask Kioll.

    What about something like Hope or Faith, but in the ancient language?

    Another word pops into my head.  The name of a blue lily. 

    What about Loivissa?  I know they're blue, but it'll match the sapphire.  And there is a rare, red variety that can kill with a single touch.  Deadly.  That's what this sword will be.

    Loivissa.  Hm.  I like it.   

    "Loivissa," I murmur aloud.  More loudly I say, "The sword's name is Loivissa."

    As I speak, the sword vibrates in my hands.  Blue lines carve themselves into the blade, forming the shape of lillies.

    Caeste stares at the sword.  "Say it again."

    "Loivissa."  The lillies shine the same deep blue as the sapphire, white spots twinkling like stars in its midst, just like a real loivissa.

    "Amazing," Caeste says.  "I've never seen anything like it before.  You could probably do endless things with the engravings.  Channel your magic through them, store energy in them, things I cannot imagine."  Caestes' words become indecipherable.

    "How did you do that?" Mallory asks, walking to my side.

    "I didn't.  It just happened."

    "Well, if you think that's special, you should see Kioll." 

    I turn, and cannot make a sound.  Kioll is not just red anymore.  The same deep, midnight blue as on the loivissas swirls on Kioll's hide, even the white stars.

    That's new, I say.

    You can say that again.

    It looks good.

    I'm not going to agree with you until I see a mirror.

    I take another look at him and add, We need to talk.

    Yes.

    Alone.

    Yes.

    I look at Nanya, and don't even have to say a word.  He understands immediately.

    "Go," he says.

    I climb onto Kioll's back for the second time today, and he soars into the air.  He climbs until we are above the trees, then we circle.

    You are probably the only dragon in history who is bi-coloured, I say.

    Probably.  Why did that happen when you said Loivissa?

    I don't know.  Maybe I happened upon the sword's true name, and because the sword is closely linked to you, you were affected.

    That makes sense, but we can discuss that later.  We have more pressing matters to attend to.

    Yes.

    I have some growing to do if we wish to defeat at least Faril.

    I agree.

    Nanya and Tiran will be helping us.

    Correct.

    So, Kioll continues, now I have the facts straight, how are we going to defeat the strongest Rider partnership in the history of Dragon Riders?

    I don't know.

    I sure hope someone has some tips or something.  Actually, when I think about it, I think Faril is blind in one eye.

    What!

    One of Faril's eyes, not the one you saw, was cloudy and white.  I saw it when he flew off with Lenefka.  A huge advantage.

    Won't Lenefka see us, even if Faril can't?

    If we come from below, slightly to Faril's blind side, I'll be able to get him around the neck, hopefully.

    We talk about other things until dusk falls.