Talon Academy

CHAPTER ONE

Snap! There it was again. Now I definitely didn't imagine that; something or someone was following me. My light blue eyes scanned the ground below me trying to spot a shadow that was out of place. I couldn't see anyone, truthfully I would have amazed myself if I had been able to tell the difference between what the forest looked like now and what it looked like five minutes ago. However, what I did see to my delight was a wide clearing not too far from the tree I stood in. It would be impossible for me to catch my pursuer here in the middle of the forest but the wide clearing was a whole new story. A small smile began to play on my lips as I scampered down the tree and set into a sprint.

Racing, I reached the tree line with my long wavy hair flapping about my face. I wish I had something to hold back my ebony tresses; it would have made things a hell lot easier. Swiping my hair away from my face with a pale hand I glanced down at my tattered light grey t-shirt and my ripped jeans. The skin on my arm was painted with angry cuts and scratches, which contrasted against my ghostly skin. The wild flowers that blanketed the ground felt soft under my bare feet. My eyes averted to the night sky above; a cloudless blue sea with a giant glowing pearl floating across it.

Nothing but darkness came next. Something was blocking my view of the moon. I held my breath as I shuffled slowly to the left trying to see who had decided to show up.

"More like what," I muttered under my breath. A what that was floating in the air or was incredibly tall because it towered several feet above me.

What I could make out in the sparse light was a huge sky-blue wing, which was embedded with glistening crystals. My breath hitched when it turned around to look at me.

Oh-My-God, this wasn't a bird not even a giant one, I thought rapidly, NO, NO, NO WAY, what stood before couldn't be a ... dragon.

Yet, no matter how many times I denied it in my head, what floated mere metres away from me was a breath-taking dragon. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My eyes locked with its deep brown ones; I was lost in there void. The wind began to whistle between the trees as I continued staring at the dragon. Blue scales covered this magnificent dragon and whenever it moved it was like a thousand crystals were in its place. A cool and calming feeling washed over me and I forgot to be scared.

I screamed. My hands shot to my ears trying to block out the deafening roar; only then realising that we were not alone. The calm I had felt before was shattered into a million pieces and disappeared completely when I saw the owner of the roar. It was another dragon, a complete opposite of the glowing blue one. This dragon was blood red and grief, darkness and the desire to hurt rolled of it in waves. Shadows spiralled around it and I took a few steps back, not just out of fear but also because of the surprising unsettled feeling in my heart.

My eyes moved to the cloaked figure that sat on the dragon's back, he or she or even it was looking right at me. I couldn't actually see their eyes but a gut feeling was telling me they were watching my every move and that I had should run to the trees as fast as my legs could carry.

I took a step back. Then another. I have to get out of here now! I repeated that to myself again and again as my eyes wavered around the clearing.

The mouth of the red dragon opened wide; it was like a gateway to the scorching fire that erupted from it. It made its way towards me only to meet the ice cold surge of water shooting out from the stunning blue dragon's mouth. The wind darted around faster than before making my hair whip around my face. The surge of water was powerful but it wasn't growing like the flames which seemed full and strong. It looked as if the water was reluctant; almost holding back. As if it wasn't ready to come out and fight.

My skin tingled because of the heated atmosphere around me. I'm going to be roasted alive I thought with fear. I tried to move but it was like my feet were glued to the ground and my eyes were glued on the stunning dragon that was the only thing between me and the flames.