War of the Emberstar (Unfinished)

Chapter 4: The Cloudroost

I am in the portal. For a second, I can't think. It's such an odd feeling that I can't even describe it.

It's like you're sliding on slippery glass, but you can't fall. There's loud whooshing sounds coming from the portal all around me. It's a very uncomfortable feeling. But all of the feelings mixed together are even worse. I don't know how people can stand all of this.

Then, suddenly all the strange feelings fade away, and give way to sky. I notice that I'm floating, and freak out a little.

"Oh my GOD!" I scream.

"Yes, very strange, isn't it?" replies the man in black.

"By the way, how are we floating?" I ask.

The man smiles. "My magic."

Anyway, back to what it's like in the sky.

The man and I are standing on what seems to be clouds, in a almost pink sky. Very light pink, but pink nonetheless. But not sunset pink. More of a hue.

I glance around at my surroundings, and notice a huge castle in the distance. It looks like it is made out of dried lava, but not in the creepy, unsettling way of the red place from my dreams. Much more friendly looking.

On top of the castle I notice four big peaks on each side of it, almost as though a helicopter would take off of it. Leading up to the castle, there is a drawbridge that's so big it could fit a dinosaur!

Just then I notice these huge creatures flying in the sky. It's as though I couldn't see them before. I stare up at them in wonder. Upon closer inspection, I notice that they have riders.

"Dragons!" I burst out.

"I believe you have just figured it out," the man says wisely.

"Um," I say, a little confused.

"What did I figure out?" I ask.

The man smiles. "Your power."

"My secret power is dragons?" I ask.

"No," the man replies.

"You are a Dragonmage, Ashlyn."

I look at him in wonder. Am I actually magical?

"What is a dragonmage exactly?" I ask.

"You have the power to use spells and magic for good. To fight evil. To prevail against terrible forces."

"But you also have the ability to ride dragons. Dragonmages are the only being in this world that are able to ride dragons."

 "You will receive your dragon egg when you enroll in the Cloudroost. You must take care of your egg until it hatches."

I simply stare at him, amazed.

"By the way," I ask, "what's your name?"

"You may call me Rupert."

Rupert looks at me in a way that shows that he is feeling awkward. He shifts his feet in the sky and clears his throat.

"Ashlyn," he starts.

"What is it?" I reply.

"Why were you so eager to leave your home?"

This really strikes me as a surprise.

"Well, my parents aren't the nicest, and they kind of tell me what to do most of the time. I mean, I know that I'm only twelve, but still. I don't know, I just feel like they should give me more freedom than what they actually do."

"I see," Rupert says slowly.

"Also," I continue, "all my friends at school, well, I don't really have any friends. And the friends that I sort of have, they're really not that nice. I just feel really lonely, and I was never treated well at home."

Rupert looks at me kindly.

"I'm sure you'll have a better home here," he says.

"Wait, I'm staying here?" I ask in surprise.

"If you want to, of course," Rupert says.

"But before we continue, I need to know a little more about your past," Rupert says awkwardly.

No problem for me! I've got a lot stuff that I need to tell someone. My life has mostly been secrets up until now, as I've never been able to really tell my parents anything.

"Well, almost as long as long can remember, I've always had weird dreams. I don't know why, but I just have. I also like to daydream a lot, but recently, my daydreaming had me in the nurses office! I really don't want a repeat of that."

"And in my dreams, there is always a lot of fire and lava. Usually after that, I dream of destruction. Cities are ruined, and islands are destroyed. It's kind of scary, and I usually can't wake up so easily after one of those dreams."

"And this may sound weird, but when there is a thunderstorm, I always feel the urge to just, like, go outside. I know that it's dangerous but sometimes I just can't help myself. One time I went out and my dad caught me. I was punished for two months! I - I - I hate my life."

I kneel down on the floor of the sky an start to cry for the second time in the last hour. I think about all the things my mom has said no to, all the times my dad told me to stay in my room. I feel hopeless. I feel as though nothing can make my life better.

Rupert seems to sense what I am thinking, and smiles at me. "Everything's going to be okay," he says.

"I know you feel depressed and worried. That is why you are a dragonmage. You have the abilities to overcome those feelings more so than an average person. It will be easier for you than any of your friends at school."

I look up at him. He smiles at me. I stand up and take a deep breath.

"Okay, I'll continue to do whatever you think is right," I say through my tears.

"That's a brave girl," Rupert says happily.

"That which you see in the distance," Rupert says, pointing to the huge lava castle, "is the place where the dragonmages of the Cloudroost train."

"Um, what exactly is the Cloudroost? I mean, you've said it a lot." I say quickly.

"The Cloudroost is the huge castle that you see, Ashlyn," Rupert replies.

"Okay, thanks for the clarification," I add.

"Anyway," continues Rupert, "I know it's afternoon, but there are still a few classes that you might be able to participate in before sunset arrives."

With that, he runs along the sky toward the castle, with me running after him.

Sorry about not uploading a chapter recently.

I've been very busy with life, and this chapter took

FOREVER to come up with.

I'll try to make chapters more often in the future.

Thanks for reading!