THE SHADOWRIDER- THE FIGHT FOR FIRE (Book 1)

CHAPTER 12: INNER DEMON

"Drako" Flame growled from behind her.

"hello, Ryder" Drako said, the smirk on his face telling them he was up to no good.

"Drako..." Ryder growled.

"nice to finally meet you..." Drako said innocently "now let me ask you a question... What would happen if the Shadowrider died before there was anyone to take his place?"

Ryders eyes widened, as did everyone else's. Looking in to Typhoons eyes you could see nothing but hate. What happened to her innocent look?"

"dragons can be deceiving" Eternity said in Zealots mind.

She turned her attention back to Ryder.

"the world would turn to chaos, half would fight for the gold rider, the others for silver. The land and realm of fire would never find peace. World as we know it would be imbalanced until one of you kills the other, and there dragon, then the Shadowrider would have to clean up the mess."

"sounds good to me!" Drako laughed, as he pulled a knife to Ryders throat.

She looked at the situation. Her mind was racing. The thought up plans, but one move and Drako could kill her own father. She looked at Zealot, who was staring at her rider in disbelief, then started to lunge, but Typhoon blocked it.

"Zealot, mythical dragon, stand aside, or I will kill him" Drako growled, satisfaction ridden on his face.

"it's ok, buddy, I'll be fine" Ryder croaked.

"Zealot, come forward!" Drako said, clearly addressing the rider. Zealot walked forward, knowing what was coming. She may not make it out of this. Men flew down from trees and ran over to her, why six dragons flew down, to keep Eternity, Blitz, and Zealot company. The men put metal straps around her arms, legs, and waist. She didn't understand what was happening, until one guy pressed a button an a remote. She felt fire radiate through her body, and she let out a scream of pain. Loud high pitched scream.

"Zealot!" everyone let out. The dragons quickly beat down there opponents and went to help her. Eternity was feeling her pain, every blast to her body was another fight all it's own. Her screams started to go deeper and deeper, then stopped, and the fire stopped. Drako let go of Ryder, who quickly ran to his daughters side.

"let's see you take on the new Shadowrider!" Drako laughed, as Typhoon came up to Eternity, baring her fangs. Eternity felt it though, his rider wasn't dead, not even close, he felt the power strike him, just as his rider started moving.

"what!?" Drako laughed. "even bother to get up?" he said as he pressed the button once more. What he got was absolutely not what he was expecting. She let out a breathtaking roar, not like a person would, but exactly matching Eternitys dragon cry. She stood up and looked at him, her eyes showing hate, as they seemed to turn pitch black. Her hair kept on getting lighter and lighter and lighter until her jet black hair turned snowy white, and she looked at Ryder. His white hair got darker and darker until it was jet black. He seemed to get weaker, and then she looked at his dragon. She was flickering from black to gold, and Typhoon was flickering away completely. Then she turned to Eternity, who was flickering from silver to pitch black. It couldn't be. Could it? Then she calmed down and everyone returned to normal. Ryder stared at his child in disbelief, along with Drako, and Eternity.

"you... Your power... You almost kicked the Shadowrider right out of his position..." Drako said obviously amazed at it. " how?"

"because her bond with Eternity is so strong, she was mixing with him, becoming one." Ryder explains.

"becoming... One?" Zealot asked.

"that is why the Shadowrider is so powerful... They are becoming one. That's why it's the Shadowrider, not the Shadowrider and the shadow dragon." Ryder explained further "but with it, you and your dragon are more vulnerable, one dies, both die."

Ryder looked at Drako, to whom had an evil smile on his face. He gave him a look like 'if you even try, I'll kill you'

"wait... So if me and Typhoon were to bond as well as them, we would be able to do that?" Drako asked, seeming to take this more as a learning opportunity.

"no" Ryder replied.

"huh? No? Why?" Zealot asked.

"because," Ryder looked her in the eye, then sighed. "only the one destined for failure does it."

Zealot looked around. She saw Eternity look at her, almost a scared look in his eyes. She felt his mind sink, and knew it was hopeless. Suddenly everything seemed more... Important. She looked at the ground, and instead of grass, she saw individual blades. She looked at the bark on the trees, and saw pieces of bark, not a trunk. She looked at Flame, and saw his soul flash before her. She would die? Live without him? What happened to fairy tale endings? What happened to happily ever after? She can't live with her knight in shining armor? Then she got a determined look in her eyes, and Drako knew this was going to be the hardest fight of his life.

"I will never give up!" Zealot roared.

"buddy... It's fate-" Ryder started.

"fate can always be changed!" she turned her attention to Drako "Drako, this truce is over! Next time I see you, one of us will die, and it will not be me!" Zealot said, determination still evident in her voice.

"I will await our fight" Drako responded, then hopped on Typhoon and flew away. Zealots eyes followed the gold dragon until she was out of sight.

"Zealot" Ryder said.

"yes?"

"I need to tell you one little thing..."

"and that is?"

"the black blade you have... Shade... Does it feel... Off balance?"

"I..." Zealot pulled out Shade and held the hilt. It did feel slightly off balance.

"yeah..."

"well that blade will one day be yours, but now, use this one." Ryder said why handing me a silver blade that looked exactly like Drakos but silver.

"your first job as the silver rider is to name it!" Ryder said, sounding so excited about it. Names ran through her head. Drunen, fenda, blenka... Then it came.

"it's name... Gladius" Zealot said.

"as in Latin for sword?" Ryder looked shocked. "you know Latin?"

"yeah, something you pick up!" Zealot said.

"then say... Dragons knight of light, and I'll believe you"

"extraho miles militis of lux lucis"

"wow! You... You do!"

"yeah... Great, now we have that established, what do I do now?" Zealot asked, confusion ridden on her face.

"first, we head back to the alliance" Ryder said, his face gleaming from the light hitting him, as he almost seemed to shimmer. "then we have some one on one training."

It seemed to good to be true! First she finds her dad to be the Shadowrider, the legendary rider. Now she find out he is going to train her? What will Jason say? Will he be mad that she left? Will he be mad at Ryder for telling me?

"he can't" Eternity spoke. "Your father is able to choose the right time. He didn't even think you are his child"

"how do you know?" Zealot asked suspiciously.

"hehe... Just a good guess" Eternity chuckled.

Ryder, Zealot, and Flame got on there dragons and set off to the alliance, Zealot uncertain of what to think about everything going on in her life. Uncertain of her position. Uncertain.