The Fall of the Dragon Riders

Eight

"Are you alright?" Moonnight ask. It has been at least a week since they left that village, and Johnny hardly spoke a word.
"I'm fine," Johnny said. "I'm just in deep thought."
"Because of what that witch said?" She ask. Moonnight didn't believe in fortunetellers, so she decided to call her a witch. Johnny sighed in response. "Well stop. Because no witch can the future. Only you make the future, by the choices you choose."

Johnny said nothing. He was in too much thought. "She said, that I'll die helping a prophet." Johnny said after a moment.

"And do you believe that rubbish?" She ask. Johnny thought about it for a moment.

"I guess not." He decided.

Another week has past and every second they came closer to the mountains.
"How much farther do you think it is?" Johnny ask.
"Not much," Moonnight answered. "I'll say, at least one or two more days until we reach the Kay River." As days gone past it only took them a day n' a half to reach Kay River. The sun began to set and Moonnight landed by the bank of the river. Johnny could hear the river moving down toward the ocean. It was a wonderful sound. Johnny loved it. He woudered if that is what the ocean sounded like, but bigger. Johnny filled his water skin, and took a long chug from it. When he finished, he wiped his mouth and brought out the journal that Burt gave to him weeks ago.
Johnny had been writing in it ever since.

Moonnight nudged him. "Look," she said. Johnny looked up to see what Moonnight was looking at. Then he saw it. The mountains. So close but so far away. You could see the mountains bottom and then seeing it raise up into the clouds.
"Beautiful." Johnny whispered.
"Indeed." Moonnight agreed. They both were quiet and they watch as the sun set over the mountain and as the stars came out to play.
"You know," Johnny started to say. "When you look at the stars, you soon realized how small the world really is."
"And that's why you must spend everyday of the second enjoying it. And not let the world pass you by, because once you do, you'll life will go by so quickly. And once it goes by quickly, you'll be on your death bed, thinking to yourself 'where has the time gone.' Then you'll wish you could do it all over again." Moonnight said and Johnny agreed.

"Much like my father, I guess."

"No, your father never watched the world go by," Moonnight disagreed. "He worked everyday and most nights to help and provide for his family. He did everything he could to make sure that you and your sister had a brighter better future...... Just give that some thought." And Johnny did.

"Yeah, I guess your right. Everything he did was for the good of me and Netty. Now...... Now he thinks I'm traitor."

"No, he was just scared." Moonnight said. "And when people are scared they do things they regret saying," she gazed at the stars for a while then she said with a soft voice, "its late now. Rest. We have a big day tomorrow."

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The mountain was closer than ever now. It was huger than Johnny excepted. Moonnight descended down toward the base of the mountain. Johnny hopped off and looked around. "Now where?" He ask.

"Mm, don't know." Moonnight said. They walked around for awhile trying to find some where that they could enter the mountain or maybe a gateway.

Then Johnny spotted a trail that whriled up the mountain.
"Do think that's it?" He said.

"Well, its worth a try." Moonnight answered. So they walked up the trail. The trail was just little bit too narrow for Moonnight, but she manage to make it work. Johnny walked up the steep hill until it came to an end. The trail widen in a large circle and lead to a rocky wall of the mountain. Johnny was confused. Was this it? Had he came here all for nothing? Or did he climb up the wrong trail? "Hello!" He shouted. "Anyone there!" No answer. "Great," he muttered. "We came here for nothing..... Stupid shape shifter." He kicked a nearby rock off the cliff.

"Who's there!" Called a voice that made Moonnight growled. Johnny spun around to see two brown eyes peeking out from an opening the rocky wall. "I said 'who's there!'" The voice called again.
"I'm Johnny and this is Moonnight." Johnny manage to say.
The brown eyes squinted. "Why have you come." The voice said.

"To join the resistance.... I was sent here by a shape shifter named Sheila." After Johnny had finished saying her name, he could see the stranger's eyes close than heard a heavy sigh.
"Sheila, huh?" The stranger said. "Yeah, we know her, hadn't heard from her in awhile. Just give me a moment." After a moment as the stranger had promise, the rocky wall shook and open up. Johnny could see the inside of the mountain.
"A rider, eh?" The stranger ask as he stepped forward. "There hasn't been a new rider for at least.... What.... Five? Six Years?" He looked up at at his friend who sat on a side ledge inside the mountain. The friend shrugged. "Lost count." He replied.

The stranger motion his head inside the mountain. "Come along then," he said. Johnny and Moonnight followed. Moonnight had to duck her head as she entered. "Names Rufus, by the way."

"Johnny. And that's Moonnight."

"Nice to meet y'all." As the tunnel ended it went wide and brighter. Johnny shield his eyes from the bright sun. He looked up to see a huge hole in the mountain. He went over to a railing and looked down. There was a small circle where a couple of warriors practice their fighting skills. He saw dragons either flying around and having a nap underneath the sun. He saw shape shifters turn into different animals and sorcerers using their magic.

"This way," Rufus said. "You must met the elders before you do anything." They walked into a different tunnel and again Moonnight had to duck down. "Who are the elders? If you don't me asking?" Johnny ask.

"The elders are the main three of our kind. The very first rider, shaped shifter and sorcerer. They're the reason why we exist." Rufus answered. Wow. So because of some guy or girl he has Moonnight? Johnny would have never ever thought of that. Finally they came to a big wooden door. Two men stood guard.
"We have two new friends to join us." Rufus said.

"Wait here," Said one of the guards, and dispeared into the room. After a minute and came back out, and motioned them in. "You may enter." He said.

As Johnny began to walk in, he notice Rufus not following. Ruff nodded to him to go on. "You must go on your own for this one." Rufus said. Johnny enter with Moonnight at his tail. The room was huge. With golden pillars holding up the roof and a red carpet with gold lining leading up to three thrones with three elders sitting in them. Two men and one woman. One elder had a staff in his hand. The other had a golden dragon behind his throne. Only the dragin's head and forepaws were showing, the rest of his body was behind the throne. The elder woman had a cat on her lap, she stroke gently as she watch Johnny and Moonnight come down to greet them.

When Johnny stopped, the rider elder stood. "Greetings," He said. "Tell me, what is your name, son?"
"Johnathan."
"And your dragon?" Johnny glanced at Moonnight.
"Moonnight." He answered.
"Now, may I ask why have you come?" The elder ask. Johnny gulp.
"Well, to frank," Johnny said. "I had nowhere else to go. I've been kicked from my home, and decided to come here." The elder nodded.
"Well, you are most welcomed here, Johnathan and Moonnight," he said warmly. He wore a golden robe, sliver hair and blue eyes like his dragon. "I am Cope. This is our sorcerer elder Aid," the sorcerer elder wore a dark blue robe, dark hair and gray eyes. "And our lovely shifter elder, Era," she wore a green robe, long beautiful red hair and green eyes. "And this is Bruce, my dragon." The dragon did a slight nod at them.

"It is a pleasure it finally see we have a new rider among us." The dragon in a deep voice.

Cope sat down and glared at Johnny. "I'll have one of our best to train you and give you our knowledge." He paused for bit. "And I hope you are prepared to fight with your life to help protect our kind and the rest of this precious land."
Johnny thought about it, and looked up Moonnight, who said, "we are prepared to do whatever it takes. And I'm prepared to make my rider is well protected." Cope nodded.

"Very well said young Moonnight. I'll have William out there bring you to your new room, so you may get settled."
Johnny thanked Cope and walked out of the throne room where William showed Johnny and Moonnight to their room.