Imperial

Chapter 55

"Is that the fastest you can go?" Rutilus scoffed, pulling himself in front of me with a gust of speed.

"Of course not!" I retorted, narrowing my eyes. With a powerful beat of my wings, I climbed higher into the air, remaining very close to the red and gold drake. Another wing-beat carried me in front of him, much to his displeasure.

His molten gold eyes shone bright with challenge.

But I was ready.

Screeching a challenge, I raced him across the sky, thrusting my wings forwards in a desperate attempt to stay in the lead. How well it worked, I did not know. But I could hear him panting somewhere behind me.

Intent on staying in front, I scarcely noticed the dragons draped across ledges along the crater. Watching us with varying levels of amusement, and wariness. Allowing the wind current to carry me, I raced across the sky.

Rutilus slowed down, no longer trying to overtake me. Confused, I glanced at him. What had caused him to abruptly stop?

"Argentum," Rutilus breathed my name quietly, his golden eyes dark. A warning. His gaze was fixated on something in the distance. A thrum of fear shot through me. Had the humans found us already? No. Impossible. Beside, he'd be more alarmed and panicked.

Following his gaze, I spotted the approaching silhouette of Verask.

While humans would have been a lot worse, I wished that she'd rather go elsewhere. Even a few months later, she was still cold around Rutilus and I. Despising our presence. Arguably even more so, now that we were starting to appear more imperial - both of us were rapidly growing, and my secondary colour was becoming more and more obvious.

Briefly, I wondered why she was more tense in our presence - Kronx had said something about fear when we'd arrived, but why fear us? Both of us were still young and inexperienced - and both of us did whatever she told us to, even if reluctantly.

"Verask," I murmured in greeting as she halted in front of us.

Her red eyes were dark with disapproval as she scrutinised both Rutilus and I. For a few long moments, she examined us, as though something was plaguing her mind.

What did she want to say? Did I actually want to know - or was it just another of her scoldings? I wouldn't be surprised if she told us to stop flying across the sky like a pair of hatchlings - after all, she had already done so numerous times.

"Kronx wants to talk to you," the yellow dragoness growled at last, but I had a feeling that that was not what she'd wanted to tell us.

Nonetheless, at the mention of the dark blue dragon's name, excitement coursed through me. It had been a while since he'd taught us anything, and it was only on occasions that he sent another dragon to fetch us to him.

"Thank you," I dipped my head, not knowing what else to say. Almost immediately, I veered away from her, hastily diving towards the crater where I knew Kronx was waiting.

"Race you to him!" Rutilus roared, diving in front of me.

Narrowing my eyes, I folded my mottled silver and black wings against my flank. Only using my tail-fin to steer me as I plummeted almost straight down.

The crater opened up wider and wider before me. If I peered closely, I'd be able to see dragons draped across the ledges on its rocky walls. But instead, I briefly scanned it, searching for Kronx. Finding him at the very bottom, watching as we raced towards him.

I gritted my teeth in annoyance as I flared my wings. Slowing down as the ground rapidly approached. Rutilus was still in front of me. Perhaps it was merely because he was heavier, but he landed in front of Kronx first.

He had definitely grown over the past few months. Now, he was nearing a third of the dark blue drake's size. At least, I wasn't too much smaller than him - we were both bigger than Soriak.

"I won!" He declared, molten eyes shining triumphantly. However, his excitement quickly ebbed as he turned to face Kronx, whom was watching us with the same calm expression as per normal.

"I was talking to Verask earlier," he stated, his voice a deep rumble that gave none of his emotions away. "She hinted that she'd like us to move elsewhere soon."

We had been lucky for her to allow us to stay for so long - a few months. Especially with her discomfort around Rutilus and I. But still, we had nothing planned to do next. Perhaps that was why Kronx had called us down.

"Can we go attack Erakor?" Rutilus immediately asked, his excitement rapidly returning.

I blinked.

Why hadn't I though of that? It had been a few months - which was what Kronx had agreed to. Every dragon had recovered - no injuries, nor were they half-starved anymore. All of them could breathe fire again.

There was no reason not to go.

The dark blue dragon released a sigh. "You are sure that you want to attack Erakor? Dragons will die," he warned, his silver eyes shifting between Rutilus and I. A final attempt to sway us.

"I'm sure," Rutilus declared immediately.

But I hesitated. I wanted to attack Erakor - I really did. The sheer masses of dragons we would save! Perhaps, humans would stop trying to capture dragons as a result of us defeating the city. And, Raffael had said that we would most likely win. 

Yet there would be a cost. Kronx was right; we would be unable to win the battle without some of us not only being injured, but killed. Some of my friends would die. But if hundreds of dragons were being freed...

"I'm sure," I sighed, glancing at the dragons lining the crater wall. All of them watching us with avid interest. Was this what they wanted - to attack a human city? Free more dragons, and have their revenge on humans? "So long as they agree."

"Very well," Kronx murmured, still giving nothing away. "We'll leave tomorrow."

*~*

1032 words

Hope you enjoyed! Please do drop a vote and comment! :)

Next chapter should be out tomorrow.