Draegon Rider History (Draft 1)

Chapter 10

The original draegon I aimed for dove at that moment, missing its neck. By sheer luck one of the others was behind, the arrow caught on the think skin of the wing, ripping a large tare. Making it difficult for the draegon to maintain flight. Struggling to stay air borne it lost height with every desperate flap of its wings. Until it fell from the sky. Screeching the entire time as it panicked

To my dismay the other two of its buddies locked their eyes on us after they saw their buddy fall from the sky due to the tear in its wing. The larger one swooped down to catch the injured one before he hit the ground, being careful with the placement of its claws. Struggling with the added weight it made a bee line out of the village's attack zone.

The third stayed, launching into a full attack at Sage. The muscles beneath me tensing as Sage prepared herself. As the blue draegon picked up speed, Sage bided her time. My breath caught as I waited for her to move, anticipating when Sage would move I secured by bow back onto my back ( clutching onto my bow for dear life, I waited with baited breath), and rewrapped my arms around her neck.

Time slowed as I watched the blue draegon extended its claws reaching out for Sage, which was when Sage went into a full dive, causing the draegon to miss us by a hairs-breath (hairsbreadth). Screeching out in fury the draegon corrected itself, going into a shallow dive to catch up with us.

Though Sage did her best it was only a matter of time before we were caught. The force of the draegon slamming into us knocked the breath out of both of us and nearly sent me toppling off, if I had not been holding on. As the jarring impact almost sent me flying forward.

I prayed silently as I twisted this way and that, trying not to get clawed, bitten or maimed as the two draegons battled each other. The blue clinging onto the back of Sage. Both going for vulnerable necks and tender underbellies. An untimely squeak left my lips as I narrowly dodge a set of claws as the attacking draegon adjusted itself.

A stormy grey eye fixated itself on me, Sage roaring in a threat if it harmed me. The draegon hissed, quickly moving its head to snap and break me into pieces. I jerked back on instinct, dodging the sharp serrated teeth that just missed my arm. Though I did dodge the draegon's teeth I ended up throwing myself out of the saddle.

I couldn't make sense of what was happening as I flipped through the air. I knew that these were probably my last moments on earth as I watched the ground continue to grow closer. Sage would have to give me credit, I didn't scream as I fell. Instead I panicked, my mind going in a million different directions at the same time, contemplating if there was an afterlife, what I should have said to my family before I left, and regretting I would never be able to keep my promise to my mother. I didn't know which way of dying was worse, being killed by a draegon or falling to my death.

As I fell, arrows being launched into the sky nearly grazed me. My ears popped from the altitude drop and suddenly I heard exclamations of terror and fearful shouts as the village below me watched my fall. There were shouts of people calling a cease fire, not wanting to hit me as I continued to fall, but there was no point. I was going to die anyway. If one killed me they would be saving me an immense amount of pain that was bound to happen in a few short moments, it would really be a mercy killing.

My body twisted in the air once more and I was suddenly facing upwards. Able to see the blue draegon retreat and fly off after its two companions, sustaining heavy bodily injury. Sage came away with some injuries but not as bad as the other draegon. As she was able to maneuver better without worrying about me being on her back.

Instinctively my hand, the one not clutching my bow, reached out for the sea green draegon I have come to call friend. Please save me.

I caught the sight of Sage turning into a dive, as I flipped around in the air again. Now facing towards the ground. The ground a lot closer than before. My time was upon me, I could hear my heartbeat roaring in my ears as I squeezed my eyes closed. Waiting for the impact.

That would never come. As claws wrapped around my torso, stopping my descent and ultimately my death.

Oxygen filled my lungs as I heaved a gasp. Opening one eye to peak about. I am still high in the air as Sage managed to catch me in time. Slumping in her safe grasp, I feel my body shake as it tried to get rid of the excess adrenaline from the near death experience. This was the second time Sage had saved my life, I suppose we were even now on the life debts. "Good draegon." I mumbled out as I patted the claw that carefully held me, closing my eyes as I still processed the thought that I was very much alive.

When I got my breath back under control I reopened my eyes. Sage had already started to fly back towards the Holy Mountains, instead of staying above the village. With every flap of her wings she brought us higher up in the sky after having lost so much altitude from my fall. Thank heavens I still held my bow, but most of my arrows were lost. Having fell out of the quiver from the decent. Now I only had two out of about thirty.

Instead of having a pity party about my lost arrows I decided to be thankful that I was still alive, and that Sage managed to catch me in time. Tapping her leg to get her attention, she gazes down at me curiously. "Saddle." Was the only word I spoke. Letting her know I wanted back up on her back.

Sage clicked her teeth together in acknowledgement. Lifting me back up towards her back. Pushing the fall from my mind I focus getting back into the saddle. I was at a bit more ease now with knowing that even if I fell Sage would catch me. Hefting my weight up my limbs felt like jelly from the previous scare, taking a bit more effort to crawl onto her back.

Throwing a leg over the saddle I managed to finally seat myself. Panting from the effort. I wiped my brow from the sweat that accumulated, and fixed my hair. Placing my bow back around my form, so it wasn't clutched tightly within my hand.

Wanting to take a nap I let my eyes drift closed, feeling as though I only blinked I opened my eyes to find a shadow being cast over us. Jerking upright I crane my neck back as I take in the sight of the Holy Mountains. Being named Holy as they floated high in the air, neigh impossible to get to.

Sage skillfully navigated through the floating hills, shallowly banking left and right. Lightly flapping her wings and making minimal adjustments. In front of us was the Hallelujah arc. The highest part of the mountains. Connected by vines and tree roots the five pieces of the mountain perfectly forming an arc above the rest of the mountain. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. So massive, yet stable enough to let hundreds of draegons rest without faltering or lowering.

Usually Sage would have been amused by my awe, only tension was sensed in her part of the connection. She was dreading what could happen at this meeting. She never hesitated in her flight path, though. Shaking away the annoying nerves as if they were mere flies. Sage opened her mouth, bellowing out a high pitched call I have never heard her make before. Probably alerting her council to know that we had arrived.