Imperial

Chapter 18

Heart hammering in my chest, I slipped into the glowing blue river carefully. Unlike previous times, the warm water lapping at my scales gently did not soothe me. Frantically, I submerged my body under the water, careful to keep my head above the surface.

Kronx started growling quietly. Silver eyes flashing dangerously, he lowered himself into a crouch, focusing on the entrance of his cave. Exchanging an alarmed glance with Rutilus, I froze, watching the dark blue dragon fearfully.

"Intruder," the ancient dragon hissed under his breath, smoke coiling from his mouth. Turning towards us, he flared his wings.  "Wait here. Do not make so much as a sound." Lashing his tail, he launched through his tunnel. For several minutes, we could hear him bounding through the mountain, each stomp reverbrating through the cave.

"Should we follow him?"  Rutilus whispered, still staring at the very place Kronx had raced through only moments earlier. 

Hastilly, I shook my head, not daring to disobey the dark blue dragon's command. Never before had I ever seen the dark blue drake so alarmed, so angry. The abrupt change scared me, and I knew that I did not want the giant dragon snarling at me. Not if I could help it.

"He told us to wait here for a reason. And as much as I yearn to glimpse this intruder myself..." My voice trailed off, shrinking back into the water nervously.

"You don't want to face his wrath," Rutilus finished for me, dipping his head in acknowledgement. Water rippled around him as he twitched his wings, the mottled gold membrane breaking through the glowing surface.

Bellows and screeches echoed through the mountain, and I tensed. It was almost as though Kronx and the intruder were fighting; there were no words that I could comprehend. Just snarling and roaring and screaming. 

What was going on? I wanted to know, needed to know! Needed to know who Kronx was fighting, and why. Needed to know why he had reacted as he had. Despite seeiming to know quite a bit about us, the dark blue dragon had barely mentioned a thing about himself.

Rutilus sighed, slowly easing out of the water. Shaking his wings, he sprang towards the entrance of the cave. "Stay if you want. But I'm looking."

"Fine," I huffed, my curiousity taking the better of me as I followed the red dragon. "But it will be quick. No longer than necessary." Because if the dark blue dragon spotted us watching, against his command... Perhaps he'd start snarling and bellowing at us. 

The red drake snorted, launching through the tunnel. Not wasting a second, I raced after him, needing to know what Kronx was fighting. Narrowing my eyes, I peered at the tunnel ahead of us. Darkness stared back.

Impatiently, I increased my pace. Finally, light broke through somewhere ahead of me, slowly growing until the massive entrance of the tunnel rested before me. But I did not take a step out of the darkness - stayed just out of the sun's reach as I stared around curiously.

Mountains loomed around me, covered in snow. There was little sign of life - nothing besides the occasional rustle of a small bush. Normally, they weren't full of life, but now, during this battle, they seemed more empty than normal.

Higher up in the air, screeching above the clouds, was two dragons. One huge and ancient and dark blue, while the other was white and blue. Both were covered in scratches, some bigger and bloodier than others.

Noticeably smaller than Kronx, the other dragon darted in circles, lashing out where he could. But Kronx was familiar with such attacks, and after a few moments of observing the white and blue drake's moves, he whirled around, and snatched the other dragon from the air. Not softly, as he had done so to us a few times already, but trying to inflict as much damage as possible.

Nervously, I swallowed, unable to tear my eyes from the fight. It was clear that the bigger dragon was winning, but the blue and white drake was not going down without a fight. Even as I watched, he tried to attack Kronx again, but only to end up screaming as he plummeted down to the earth.

The dark blue dragon did not wait a second before diving after the other drake. Silver eyes flashing dangerously, he caught the white and blue dragon, holding him down as they landed together.

Much to my relief, there was no scream of pain, or a piercing snap that echoed across the mountains. Just silence as both dragons stared at each other.

"Argon is going to kill you," the white and blue dragon seethed, snarling silently at Kronx.

But the dark blue dragon merely snorted. "Argon can come after me all he likes," he growled, his talons tightening around the other drake's throat. "But he will be the one that winds up dead next time we meet."

Something flashed across Kronx's eyes. Pain, or anger. Maybe both. Whoever Argon was, chances were that he would be dead within seconds if the dark blue dragon was to come across him again.

"He defeated you once, he can do so again," the other dragon did not try to wriggle free, knowing it was pointless. Instead, he stared up at Kronx, his own purple eyes glowing strangely. "If you weren't so scared, you would not be hiding here, in that mountain of yours."

"If he wasn't so scared, he'd come after me himself, not sending a fool like you, Amaroth," slowly the ancient dragon lifted himself off the white and blue drake, but not before his sharp, black talon sank into Amaroth's flesh, trailing down his body. Blood was already dribbling away from the wound. I could not tear my gaze away from the gash.

Amaroth groaned, trying to hide his pain - but to no avail.

"Go," Kronx growled, his silver eyes deathly cold. "Go now, while I have no intention to truly harm you. And if you know what's good for you..."

Scampering to his feet, the white and blue dragon darted into the air, trying to get away from the dark drake. Both of them knew that he could have just been killed.

Confidently, the dark blue dragon turned away from Amaroth, his tail sweeping behind him proudly. But his words were still full of menace as he finished,"Don't ever come back." Despite not watching the other dragon go, I knew that Kronx was listening to each fading beat of Amaroth's soft, blue wings.

Beside me, Rutilus gasped. "He's coming back!"

Hissing under my breath, I bolted back towards the main cavern. Hopefully Kronx had not seen us - I did not want to face his wrath. Much faster than we had been flying before, we burst into the main cave, not bothering to land.

The red drake's molten eyes met mine, shining with relief.

But not even a moment later, Kronx glided down into the warm water, sighing in relief as the blood from his mostly small wounds were washed away. Spreading his wings, he completely relaxed, his silver eyes closing. For a few minutes, there was silence.

Perhaps he had not seen us, and was oblivious to the fact that we had been watching. Jerking my head up towards Rutilus, I sagged in relief. Nodding to him triumphantly. Kronx did not know.

Finding the courage to land, I draped myself over the smooth rock. But I did not relax - could not. Instead, I was to busy wondering what to do. Should I ask him what that was about? I wondered, but quickly decided against it. Kronx appeared content, head resting just above the water's surface.

A silver eye cracked open, staring directly at me. "Was that worth watching, despite my orders?"

*~*

1303 words

New chapter! Next one should be out by next Wednesday.

Throughout the next few weeks, I will be going back over the first so many chapters, absolutely polishing them. But there will most likely be no more big changes.

Thank you for reading! Drop a vote below if you enjoyed, and possibly a comment too.