Rider of the Laika

Rider of the Laika: Chapter 3

Hello everyone again, I'm supposed to be doing homework so I'll make it quick. This is rated PG but it could be PG 13 because it's a battle scene and someone gets badly wounded. So tell me if you think I should change the rating... yeah so I hope you enjoy and tell me what you think of Jaden!

Oh yeah and please help me think of a better title for this story!

Chapter 3: The War Between the Shades

I ducked away from the window as a burst of fire shrieked down from the sky and exploded. Soon the entire place would be in flames - not good, considering everything around was made of wood. Plus we were way up in the trees.

So this was why everyone had seemed nervous. The way Asteria had insisted that I needed to meet the council, that she had been so suspicious of me -- everything led to this idea. That they were at war with the other shades.

That had to be the answer.

I ran outside, trying to find a staircase that led down to the forest floor -- surely I would be safer there. Wasn't the rule with fires to stay low to the ground so you could breathe easier? And there I could run without worrying that the ground would catch on fire because it was made of wood.

There! A staircase led down the side of a tree. I ran towards it, only to be knocked to the ground as a fireball exploded only a few feet away. The hem of Asteria's slightly too long pajama pants caught on fire and I stomped on it to put it out. If I didn't find a way out of the fire zone soon I would be burned to death. I felt like I was the only person down here -- wait a moment, where was everyone?

There! Phoenixes wheeled through the sky, fighting with the dragons. A man stood, holding a bow, at the topmost, slenderest branch of a tree. He aimed an arrow and it flew through the air, piercing a dragon's hide. The dragon wailed and yanked the arrow back out, splattering the ground with blood. A few more dragons were hit and I realized that there must be other archers concealed in the trees. None looked to bad to keep flying, although there was one that fell into the trees, unable to fly, after its wings were pierced by several arrows.

Where was Asteria? Anybody? Hardly anyone knew I existed, so my chances of rescue were pretty low. I needed to find another way out. And soon.

Another fireball that landed nearby reminded me to keep moving. I ran, terrified of being burned to death. I soon found myself in the area I thought was the marketplace. Ah ha! Stairs! I ran towards them, only to find myself swept up into the air and placed down in a tree. The phoenix that had grabbed transformed into Asteria, who said, "Thank goodness I found you! Come on, they're evacuating the children."

She caught me up again and we flew low over the city to reach the spot where the evacuation was taking place. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a dragon loomed up out of the smoke. It was standing on a platform and it reared back onto its hind legs and opened its mouth to burn us to a crisp.

Asteria swerved and dove for the ground. Flames crackled in the spot where we had been moments before. We were all but free falling towards the ground. Asteria spread her wings at the last possible moment and my feet hit the ground. I stumbled, but caught myself before sinking down against a tree. The adrenaline has drained from me, leaving me exhausted and aching. "Please. Explain," I said.

Asteria sighed. "You've probably guessed this but, this war is the reason that I was so suspicious of you. Do you remember me saying that you didn't seem much of a threat? I originally thought you might've been a spy. But I don't think that anymore.

"Okay, I'm going to give you the longish version of the story, so here it goes.

"There are different kinds of shades, those that transform all the way to human appearance and those that remain part way, such as centaurs or trolls, who are stuck in the forms they have. On the side the phoenix shades are on are the griffins, the three-headed wolves, and the sphinxes. Sphinxes took our side despite of the fact that they have human faces. On the other side are the dragons, the centaurs, the trolls, and the gargoyles. Oh, and there's also the sea-serpents and the winged unicorns. Nobody knows what side the sea-serpents would take because they're trapped in the water in both of their forms, so they wouldn't be able to fight properly. And the winged unicorns' grove are practically impossible to find and anyways they don't fight.