The Night Rider: Book Two

Chapter 10: Wake up Please

The Night Rider POV.

The Night Rider ran through one of the hallways of the hunter flagship, it was dark, hard to see. There were only a few lanterns that hung from the ceiling still lit. The ship rocked and swayed slowly yet aggressively making running to any exit near impossible.

And Heather, who was being clutched tightly within his arms didn't make it any easier. She had gone limp but he knew she was still alive. He could feel her faint rising chest through his armor. Barely, he could barely feel it.

"Hang in there Heather, hang in the-." The ship rocked violently and he was thrown against the wall almost causing him to drop Heather.

Behind him one of the hanging lanterns dropped from the ceiling and shattered against the wooden floor, the oil from it lacing the ground in a hungering flame. It ate through the floor clinging onto the walls quickly, soon enveloping almost the whole span of the hallway. The Night Rider would be fine if the fire touched him because of his armor but Heather...

The Night Rider looked down at Heather's still face, her relaxed features, closed eyes. The fire would claim her quickly.

The Night Rider scrambled from the floor just before the fire reached him.

The ship suddenly rocked violently making him stumble, almost falling once more. There was a screaming creak from the wood one the ship that vibrated the walls and floors around him. Suddenly the world around him was inverted as the hallway started to rotate. The floor beneath his feet shifting into a wall and a wall becoming his new floor.

Part of the ships hull must have succumbed to the damage from the Night Riders and Heather's attack and the flagship must be sinking.

He quickened his pace through the shifting hallway and soon he reached where he had first entered the ship.

"Toothless! Windshear!" He yelled through the opened hatch frame leading up to the main deck.

He could see billowing smoke and he could feel an intense heat. He hoped that the fire hadn't reached were he had left Toothless, his friend wouldn't be able to escape the flames without him.

He looked down the hallway behind him and saw how close the flames were to catching them.

"Windshear!" He yelled and he waited impatiently, seconds feeling like years until Windshear's metallic head poked through the hatch frame. The dragon must be flying over the flames to reach them. Windshear's green eyes landed on the injured Heather and he could see the panic in them. It was a strong bond the two had. Probably just as strong as his and Toothless's.

"Take her!" He instructed hoisting up Heather and placing her as well as he could onto the saddle. As soon as he did Windshear left with Heather clearing the exit for him.

He scrambled up the ladder, right as he left the ground the fire reached it. When he reached the top he couldn't see. There was so much smoke, and he could feel the fire around him. He instantly began to sweat. He really hoped the fire wouldn't melt his prosthetic.

"Toothless!" He called out his words being absorbed by the smoke. "Where are you bud?" He yelled and for a few moments he was worried.

He may have even admitted to being terrified for his friend. But then he heard the call. A loud Night Fury call sounding from the Night Riders left.

"I'm coming bud!" He yelled and he began to walk towards we're the sound came from. He coughed and rasped for air as some smoke seeped through the eyes slits in his mask. "Toothless?" He exclaimed, this time he was met with silence from his pal.

Or maybe his friend had sounded off to him. It was impossible to tell with the roar of an all consuming fire around him.

The ship lurched to the side and he fell onto the burning deck. Heat from the flames seeped through the slits in his helmet and touched his skin making him recoil away from it. The ship began to buckle and it let out a final roar as it really began to give in to the oceans pull.