The League of Dragon Riders

Leader of a Band of Misfits

"What is this?!" I woke to the sound of yelling. I stumbled up and came face to face with an angry Fergus.

"Hold on," Maxwell stood tiredly.

"Hold on?! We thought you were dead!" Fergus wrapped his big arms around Maxwell and squeezed. Maxwell moaned as he tried to push away from the bigger man.

"Glad to see you alive, kid." Erin stood behind them with a smile on his face. He turned his gaze towards me and his smile turned to one of confusion.

"Alaina? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I...well..." I didn't want to admit that I had lied him. Of course, Maxwell didn't care.

"That's Alaina Jordan. She was the kid we were looking for." Maxwell said after he finally escaped Fergus.

"I thought you said you didn't know him?" Erin said with folded arms and a stern look on his face.

"I didn't..." I started and realized that I shouldn't feel guilty about trying to protect myself, "look here, sir, I am under the impression that most Dragon Riders are criminals and I wasn't sure if I wanted to go telling those kind of people who I am."

Now, Maxwell saved my life. Since he did and I've grown slightly curious about what you want with me, I'll put those beliefs the side until they're actually proven. Now, what do you want with me?"

"Look here." Fergus said with a laugh before walking over to the chest.

"We don't want anything from you. I mean, I guess we do want you to join our merry band of misfits but that's only because your father was our leader." Erin said.

"My father was your leader?" I asked.

"Yes, one of the greatest men I've ever served under."

"Now he's the boss." Maxwell pointed out before gagging.

"Yes, someone had to take over. Anyway," Erin grabbed my arm and lifted my sleeve. He pointed to the strange swirl birthmark I had right on the inside of my elbow, "your father had this mark as well. The true leader of our little clan bears this mark."

"You must be joking." I said.

"Afraid he ain't, your father had it and so did your grandfather. It's your destiny." Fergus said.

"It would have appeared the day your father died." Erin said.

"How did you know that?" I asked as I stumbled back. I hugged my arm to my chest.

"Because it happened to your father too. I was there, I watched it happen."

"You watched it burn into his flesh?" I asked him.

"We had just buried your grandfather. Right when we put the last shovel of dirt on his grave, Claif felt the mark. Of course, we didn't know what it meant until Uncle Fergus came and explained everything." Erin smiled at Fergus.

"The two of them grew taller than me. Them little buggers." Fergus said as he pulled Erin into a chokehold. Erin struggled against it but to no avail.

"The only one who could get out of that was your dad." Maxwell said quietly. I glanced over at him and saw the sadness in his eyes.

"Fergus, you knew my grandfather?"

"Knew him? I practically raised his son. Unlike your father, he brought Claif here. He never spent time with him, though. His mind was on the red dragons and their masters in the south."

"Red dragons? They're bad, right?" I asked, flinching as I remembered the screaming from last night.

"Yes, even without their masters they would be wreaking havoc." Fergus said as he finally let Erin go.

"What kind of dragon is Midnight?"

"A Black one." Maxwell said.

"How can I be your leader if I don't have a dragon?" I asked as the dream surfaced again.

"It'll come to you when the time is right. For now, we have to get you ready."

"Ready for what?"