The Last Dragon Rider

Chapter 6

The day after my conversation with Ember I passed out in a cave after standing up too fast. I thought I was just dehydrated but the dizziness stayed and then a fever. I managed to drag myself to Mizu's cave where she could look after me. Everything just got worse after that, fever stayed but aches and pains came and went. My throat was scratchy and I couldn't breathe because my nose was stuck and runny. Mizu brought me water and food after I was too stand.

Bane would come by to talk and keep me company. He told me Ember had left the cove to deal with business elsewhere and that she needed to retrieve something. A few days later I started feeling better, fever was going and I could sleep through the aches and pains. Two days after that and I was feeling back to normal. That was some bug I caught, I never got that sick back at home. I guess when they have medicines for everything you don't really get sick.

I was out by the lake when some of the hatchlings ran by chasing each other. Though they were considered babies they were probably bigger than bears. They butted heads and shoved each other playfully. They ran behind me still shoving each suddenly there was a thud followed by a loud snap. I turned my head quickly and then looked up to see a falling branch. I threw my arms up to stop it from hitting my head and on contact the heavy branch snapped like a twig. What even... I looked at the two snapped branches. This was no twig, I should have broken an arm or something at the very least. I picked up on one of the ends and it felt light, really light. It was a big log and should have felt heavier. It felt like I was lifting a pencil. Is this even physically possible? I stared at my arms in disbelief, not even a scratch. A shadow passed over the lake and I saw a red reflection in the water. Ember's back. I got up and ran to the cove to greet her.

.....

Aaron's POV

I set out about a week ago, and I have nothing but a dead-end. There was a trail that leads about 2 miles from the girl's house but that was it I was now following it blindly not even knowing if she went this way. What pointed me in the "right" direction was this large tree near her house. It looked like someone came there often. After that, I could find much. However, I found a dragon's footprint a few miles back but I think that might of been lucky. I'd traveled many miles in the past few days looking for any signs of the girl or dragons. The sun was beginning to go down another day wasted on nothing. I can't go back empty-handed.

.....

Scarlet's POV

"Ember you're back!" I say greeting her once she lands.

Yes, you look good, feeling better? Ember asks turning her body towards me. She had brought back something wrapped in fabric. The cloth was dirty and it was haphazardly wrapped up.

"Yeah, I'm a lot better. Hey, can I ask you a question?" I fidget with my fingers, thinking about the falling branch.

Of course

"Something weird happened, like a minute ago" I begin not really sure how to explain without sounding crazy. "I...I broke a branch unintentionally and-"

You've changed, remember what I mention about riders changing after spending time with dragons.

"Am I going to start growing scales or something??" I ask very very concerned.

Uh, no but all riders have better senses than humans and you scarlet would have very good sense because of... Ember was hesitating ... because of your blood. I meant to tell you sooner but you have dragon blood running through your veins.

"Dragon's blood? Okay, uh, What?" I question. I'm very confused right now.

A person in your family was given dragons blood. It's a sign of utmost respect and trust for a rider to be given a sip of dragon's blood. The blood gives you strength, speed, and among other things that are much greater than a human.

"One person in my family had dragon's blood and they passed it down to me?" I'm starting to make sense of all of this, sorta.

Yes.

"Wait, wait, wait, so you're telling me that all the weird stuff that's been happening is because of this dragon blood that's inside of me?" I ask Ember

Yes. Ember responds

"What about my parents? Neither of them are dragon riders."

I found the strange that the blood would skip a generation but it happens. It isn't guaranteed your children become riders, but it will forever run in your family. I nod sort of absent minded to Embers explanation. 

"So because of this blood I have heightened senses like a dragon, strength, agility, and all of that stuff?"

If you put it in a nutshell then yes. Ember looks around the cove. Hit that rock. The rock she was referring to was huge and not to mention solid and hard if I were to punch it my hand would break.

" You're joking right?" Ember shook her head. I sigh and walked over to the rock. I brought my fist back and threw a hard punch at the rock. At my touch, a chunk of the rock was knocked off. My jaw dropped.

Do you believe me now? Ember asked. I simply nodded. Ember explained because of the dragon blood inside me, I was agile, stronger, and reflexes much faster. I can see how a dragon sees, hears and smells. Ember also explained there would be other things I could smell, fear, anxiety, and anger. That expression dragons can smell fear had some truth to it. As lunch came around I watched as the dragons fed their children. They talked with each other, laughed, they are no different from humans. The society is wrong about the dragons I don't care what they say they are wrong and it's my job to show the world just that.

.....

Where do you think you're going? Ember asks me when she saw me packing my bag.

"Somewhere I can get an audience, people were wrong about you guys. They think you are cold and heartless monsters, I can't let them keep thinking like that. I need to prove them wrong. Ever since the war between your kind and mine, everything has been going straight downhill and it's not going to stop until someone does something about it. I need to do something about" I say all in one breath so by the time I'm done I need a moment to breathe. "My father works for the society I'm sure he can set up a meeting for me. By the way where did you go?"

To get you a gift, I wasn't going to give it to you now but this seems as good as time as any. Ember held something in her tail wrapped in cloth so I couldn't see what was inside. She laid it down the ground. I gingerly unwrapped it and gasped.

"It's beautiful." A sleek black bow with a leather quiver was wrapped up. I picked up the bow it had weight to it and the string was tight, I plucked it once. Then I grabbed the quiver and took out an arrow from the looks of it there had to be at least 50 arrows. The arrow had a black head, the shaft and back "feathers" were made of another type of metal.

titanium, strong enough to pierce armor. To protect yourself

"Thank you but I don't know how to use it," I say still admiring the bow.

Then you better practice, you'll be a natural. Ember leads me out of the cave and to a tree where she marks an X with her claw. With the quiver hung around my shoulder, I pulled out an arrow notched it in place. It took some effort but I pulled the string to my cheek. I released a breath of air and when I did, I sent the arrow flying. The arrow hit its mark, just slightly to left of the center.

Arrow after arrow made its way to the center of each new target Ember had made for me. I had started on the ground but, now I am standing in the trees. As Ember suggested I walked along a branch keeping my balance and shooting arrows. My balanced must have improved as well. I notched another arrow and was about to let it fly when a dragon came behind me roared.