The Icy Quest

Chapter 30

Pagoniá awoke to the sound of Tilepátheia shouting, "Let's ditch the ice sled, I want to ride on the ice dragon!"

Pagoniá sat up and rubbed her eyes as she glanced towards the sound of the commotion. Kryasavra was now the size of a small plane, and her scales were about the size of large dinner plates. They glittered like diamonds in the sunlight, yet would camouflage her perfectly against the snow. Now that Kryasavra was bigger, it was easier for Pagoniá to study the formation of her body. Even with her new larger size, she still had a very streamlined body. Along the middle of her back was a narrow indentation that stretched for at least 15 feet. It appeared to be perfectly crafted for human riders to sit in. Her tail had a row of spikes jutting out in opposite directions, leaving a narrow path between them.

"Kryasavra, you're beautiful," Pagoniá marveled, feeling her breath catch in her throat.

"This is how any ice dragon looks," Kryasavra said, flapping her wings nonchalantly. "My mom was even more glittery."

"Somehow, I doubt that is even possible," Pagoniá replied with a shake of her head. "Would you mind flying us the rest of the way to the weapon? That would save us a lot of time."

"I would be happy to," Kryasavra agreed. Pagoniá quickly got up and packed her bag. She joined Pozhar and Tilepátheia, who had been ready to go since before she had opened her eyes.

"Climb on." Kryasavra encouraged them.

"How?" Pagoniá inquired "It's a long way up there."

"Climb up my tail," Kryasvara responded, lowering herself to the ground. "That's what my mom said her riders used to do." The trio grabbed their bags and carefully walked up Kryasavra's tail, using her tail spikes to steady themselves as they made their way onto her back. Pagoniá quickly settled into a comfortable position in the indentation on Kryasavra's back. Pozhar and Tilepátheia followed her example and settled in as well.

Pagoniá surveyed their height above the ground. She was extremely thankful for the small spikes that grew intermittently along the indentation down Kryasavra's back. Pagonia grabbed one in each hand on either side of her and anchored herself onto Kryasavra. She quickly encouraged Pozhar and Tilepátheia to do the same. Then with one push of her powerful legs, Kryasarva leaped into the air, spreading her wings and pumping them furiously. The wind whooshed by Pagoniá, blowing her hair behind her and filling her ears with the sound of rushing wind. Kryasavra slowed to a hovering position.

"Which way should we go?" she yelled, straining to be heard over the howling of the wind.

"That way!" Pozhar yelled back, pointing off into the distance, the opposite direction of the mountain and the hot spring. With a powerful flap of her wings, Kryasvara launched back into flight, dipping and diving through the fierce winds. There was nothing that Pagoná could compare flying on Kryasavra to. It was a completely unique and mind-blowing experience.

"That has to be the canyon that was shown on the map just before the asterisk marking the location of the weapon! We're close!" Pozhar shouted, pointing toward the ground. "Kryasavra, can you take us down there?"

Kryasavra tucked in her wings and pointed her head toward the ground, causing them to plummet downward at a tremendous speed. As they neared the ground, she pulled up, unfurling her wings and pumping them vigorously to slow their descent. With a final flap of her wings, she landed lightly on the ground, using her legs as shock absorbers. She then laid down on the snow to make it easier for her riders to get off.

"That was AWESOME!!!!!" Tilepátheia shouted, sliding down the slick scales of Kryasavra's side and landing in the snow on the ground with a thump. "I want my own dragon that I can ride on forever!"