Academia: The House of Lionheart

VII

The moon shined over the clouds before the Lionhearts. Roiru and Raiden spent half the night playing board games with the others until they knocked out. Now, it was time to move in the cover of night towards the mountains. Zerakiel woke the pair up just a couple hours before the break of dawn, and they flew for the dragon nest.

Roiru slipped on the amulet his brother had given him. Before he knew it, they were looking over an entire mountain range of sleeping dragons. There were hundreds more packed together compared to the chimeras. Why was it such a big colony so close to the western camp? What if they chose to attack the cadets and the peacekeepers?

"The real challenge here is finding Roiru's dragon. Raiden, do you remember the way back to the camp?"

"Yes, Master Zerakiel. Why? You wish to send me back after I get my dragon?"

"You must go back."

"I want to help Roiru."

"It's too dangerous — the less, the better."

"I'll be fine, Raiden," said Roiru, looking back at the mountain range, "But look at all those beasts. If Serenity were here, she'd be able to tell you the differences between them — some of them must be ice dragons too. If you don't want one without an element, be careful."

"You got your eyes on Serenity too now? Roiru, I didn't know you were such a playboy," said Raiden, nudging him.

"You dumbass," he nudged him back, "I meant you should make your pick while considering their capabilities."

"I can help with that too," said Zerakiel, "Let's descend."

"Wait, we have to go now?" said Roiru, "Master . . ."

"You'll be okay. Stay close," they descended the mountain towards the dragon caves. Just as they reached an opening, they heard the release of a deep breath underneath their feet. Roiru looked to the ground, and over the edge of the cliff shined dragon scales in the moonlight. It had horns on its head and a pair of webbed, spiky wings which twitched in its sleep. Its tail resembling a spiked mace fluttered — it was a club dragon.

Roiru's breath quivered, but he carried on with his master. Zerakiel threw his arm back to the Lionhearts, stopping them dead in their tracks. A cauldron of bats swarming the skies flew into the next cave before them.

"This one," said Zerakiel, "Let's go."

"Why must we go into the cave the bats chose?" said Roiru.

"There are elemental dragons in there."

"How do you know?"

"I feel their energy."

"You can do that?"

"You get a knack for it the bigger your energy well becomes. Let's go," they entered the cave, listening to the bats settling somewhere along the walls. The breathing of sleeping dragons echoed throughout the tunnels. Zerakiel manifested a small flame to light their way, but Roiru still couldn't see much — he really didn't want to step on something he'd regret. Finally, Zerakiel found what they were looking for.

"This is a fire dragon and this one's ice," said Zerakiel. He carefully weaved his hands to silently create a rock wall between the pair. They were nearly identical — how could he tell?

"Fire dragons have horns — ice do not, but they have tendrils on their face," the pair of tendrils on its snout looked like a long mustache. Roiru couldn't stand being that close to a dragon, let alone two. Why was their master putting up a wall between them anyway?

"Raiden, do you want one of these?" said Zerakiel, finishing the wall. Raiden looked at the two of them and then at the cave's entrance.

"I'll take the ice dragon," said Raiden.