Downfall

Chapter Seven

Furious flames flickered in the distance, their bright embers glowing stronger by the second, closing in on the camp.

"The skies!" Ender called out, and Fyra realised that he was suggesting that they fly away, since the flames were engulfing the trees surrounding the camp, leaving few options.

"But," Fyra looked around at everyone else, her heart beating out of her chest, "What about everyone else!"

"We can put out the flames from above! But we need to hurry, before there's too much destruction!"

Despite how much she felt that she needed to question his intentions and find out what his plan to eliminate the flames were, she knew that time was running out. In less than a minute, the flames would encase the whole camp, and they would, too, be engulfed. Despite the protective charms on their armour, Fyra doubted that it would make them 100% fireproof, and even if it did, the camp would be turned to ash, and they would have nowhere to stay when the harsh weather approached.

"Fine."

Ender summoned Aurelia to his side, and Fyra pulled Axinite to her side, feeling the warmth of the approaching fire beginning to have an impact on Axinite, as his scales began to heat up. She grabbed onto Aurelia's scales, which felt strangely cool in comparison to Axinite, and pulled herself up, securing herself in a seat steadily behind Ender.

Aurelia leaped off the ground with such force that she left a mini crater in her wake, and a cool breeze spread through the forest as she spread her wings, countering the burning heat that radiated through the forest.

"Aurelia! Find a place above the treeline and use your Ice Beam to counter the flames!"

The large dragon followed his instructions, but when she tried to use her Ice Beam, which Fyra soon discovered to be freezing cold breath, alike that of a fire dragon but in reverse, however, instead of reaching the forest it curves off an invisible barrier, as though the camp was locked in a sphere, and it could not be accessed. The small group moved closer, but when the icy mist dispersed, the camp was missing, as though it had just been an illusion, a glamour the whole time.

A strange tingling sensation flows Fyra, disappearing as quickly as it had begun, however in that split second, she felt stronger. She felt as though she would never tire out, as though she could fly at full speed, not taking a single break, for years and not even break a sweat. She felt powerful. But then it was gone, and she felt weak, tired and powerless. Whatever had just happened, she knew that she had gotten a taste of true power, and she desired it.

Shaking away her thoughts, she turned to Ender.

"What – What happened? Where'd the Camp go? And what is that invisible barrier which is locking us in!" She asked, regretting her previous decision of trusting his plan. "What-" Her voice broke. "What about all the people?"

"I don't know." He sighed, his face blank, leaving Fyra with an inner fury as she felt the need to know the truth, as she felt so powerless when she knew that she could be strong, brave and know the answers which she so desperately desired. "But I feel like there was some kind of magic involved." They flew down to the ground and dismounted, the air no longer scorching, nor icy cold. "Look at the grass."

Fyra looked at the grass. It was long, green and flowing in the wind. It took her a few seconds to understand what he meant.

"It should be ash! This grass shouldn't be here! Why-" Fyra fell to the ground with a sigh, holding her hand to her head. "Why doesn't anything make sense any more..."

She looked up to see Ender looking down at her confused too.

"What?" she asked, nervously.

"Huh?" He shook his head, as though war shaking himself out of a trance. "We should we should get away from here... I have a bad feeling about this place."